Correctional services records one more death due to Covid-19

An officer from the Department of Correctional Services in the Western Cape has died after contracting Covid-19 (coronavirus).

The department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo confirmed the death of the officer in a statement on Thursday.

“The department is greatly pained and saddened to confirm the death of an officer based in the Western Cape. We convey our condolences to the family of the deceased and his colleagues.”

This as the number of cases in the department continue to increase.

Nxumalo confirmed that there were nine new Covid-19 cases in the department, bringing the total to 364.

The new cases recorded were of five officials and four inmates from the Western Cape.

No new recoveries were recorded and the number remained at 92.

This after the department appointed a medical advisory panel and 393 additional nursing personnel, to assist with the medical response at prison facilities.

This measure was set to strengthen the capacity of the department in dealing with Covid-19, particularly in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, which have the highest cases.

To date, the department has recorded four deaths.

The total breakdown of Covid-19 cases:

• Eastern Cape: officials 52; inmates 181; recovery 59; deaths 2
• Western Cape: officials 92; inmates 19; recovery 30; deaths 2
• Limpopo: officials 2; inmates 0; recovery 1
• Gauteng: officials 6; inmates 9; recovery 1
• Northern Cape: official 1
• KwaZulu-Natal: official 1
• Head office: official 1; recovery 1

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).