Reality of Covid-19 sets in as Mogale employee tests positive

“After receiving a report yesterday evening from one of the resident unions in the municipality, Mogale City Local Municipality hereby, with grave concern, wishes to inform the public that one of their employees has tested positive for Covid-19.

“It is believed that the employee who works in the Electrical section contracted the Covid-19 virus from his spouse who recently tested positive, stirring a need for him also to get tested. The worker has since been in self-isolation. It is also believed that the infected person partook in a recent go-slow protest and attended related gatherings, creating a possibility that other employees who have been in close contact with him may as well be at risk of being infected,” a communique from MCLM’s corporate communications department reads.

“As difficult as the situation we face may be, the municipality thanks the employee for informing us, which assists in tracing, testing and trying to manage further infections.”

Also read:

https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/436271/mogale-responds-to-go-slow-citing-no-institution-is-immune-to-the-pandemics-problemsormogale-cites-pandemics-problems-as-reason-for-go-slow/

In response to this, the Municipality Health Practitioners have since urgently implemented the following precautionary measures:

• The Department of Health has been contacted, which has commenced with tracing and testing those who could have been in contact with the person
• The Municipality has stopped all operations under the Energy services unit, pending advice from health and specialist Covid-19 officials
• Their Occupational Health and Safety officials will remain in contact with the employee and those who were in contact with him to ensure that none of them return to work until testing and repeat testing have been done on those infected
• After sanitizing all municipal buildings over the past week in preparation of some officials returning to work, the municipality will revisit and inspect buildings requiring re-decontamination

“As containing the spread of Covid-19 is each and every South African’s responsibility, we hereby also take the opportunity to once again remind our employees and citizens of our city to firstly be wary of the known pandemic symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath.

“Secondly, to always take the required preventative actions, such as regularly and thoroughly washing their hands, maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded public places, avoid touching the eyes, mouth and nose, following respiratory hygiene and seeking medical attention when any symptoms arise.

“Lastly, starting with our employees, we must avoid at all costs to attend face-to-face gatherings, whether in large or small groups, in order to avoid spreading this unsympathetic pandemic that has invaded our lives.”