President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday that he ordered the repatriation of South African citizens from Wuhan city in Hubei province, China.
Ramaphosa added his cabinet made this decision after considering the circumstances and following several requests from the families of South Africans in the city. OFM News reported earlier that 62 students from the Free State were stranded in Hubei province.
During a meeting with their parents in Bloemfontein, Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela assured them that the students – the majority of whom are on lock-down – were being taken care of, even though they were being forced to be isolated and stay in their dorms.
Free State health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said his department was ready for when any of the repatriated citizens headed towards the province. He said his department would be central to the planning process, which included a quarantine process for about 21 days.
Earlier media reports indicated that the Tempe Army Base was under consideration for the quarantine and, although Ramaphosa did not confirm this, he indicated the departments of health and defence would deploy healthcare personnel and support staff to provide assistance during the processes.
The president also assured South Africans that none of those earmarked for repatriation had been diagnosed with the virus, nor had they exhibited any symptoms.
The latest media reports indicate that 2,744 people have died out of more than 78,000 confirmed cases, while more than 32,000 have recovered from the disease.
– OFM News