The message being circulated states that a man died after patients were instructed by hospital staff to wait in their vehicles due to lack of space.

Hospital Manager of Life Midmed Hospital, Mr Hennie Viljoen, dismissed the story as untrue.

He confirmed that a patient who was being transported by ambulance, from Piet Retief, was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

* Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news

Dear reader,

As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online.

Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed.

Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.

Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).

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Contact our editorial office on 013 243 1434 or our standby number for emergencies on 072 248 3855 to share your story with us.

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