28 health workers test positive for Covid-19 in Gauteng
'The first cohort of workers, who tested positive, contracted the virus through social circles and not at work,' the health department said.
Picture for illustration. Nurses at work at the Nasrec Expo Centre to house coronavirus patients, Johannesburg, 14 April 2020. Picture: Twitter / SABC
Twenty-eight health workers in Gauteng have tested positive for Covid-19, the provincial health department revealed in a statement on Thursday.
“All cases are mild and did not require hospitalisation, except for one person who had to be hospitalised,” department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said.
The person was reportedly discharged from hospital on 17 April.
“The first cohort of workers, who tested positive, contracted the virus through social circles and not at work,” Kekana added, saying 11 have recovered and “some are back at work”.
The rest are currently being monitored.
“The process of disinfection continues to take place at various facilities across the province. The Gauteng Department of Health currently has sufficient PPE [personal protective equipment] and is continuously procuring and replenishing stock,” Kekana said.
As of 22 April, the number of positive Covid-19 cases in the province sits at 1,224, with 826 recoveries and seven deaths.
Of the 7,479 contacts traced [i.e. people who came in contact with those who tested positive for the virus], 2,975 have completed the 14-day monitoring period with no symptoms and were subsequently de-isolated.
Meanwhile, 46 people have been hospitalised at public and private facilities in the province.
Breakdown per district:
Johannesburg: 726
Ekurhuleni: 265
Tshwane: 127
Sedibeng: 11
West Rand: 41
Unallocated: 54
Total: 1 224
Nationally, there are 3,635 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 133,774 tests having been conducted to date.
The national Department of Health reported seven more Covid-19-related deaths, which took the toll to 65.
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