Woman who tested positive in Mokopane: ‘I am in great care’
She was admitted to the hospital, one of the provincial isolation hubs for COVID-19 positive patients, on Sunday, after she had tested positive for the virus.
MOKOPANE – A woman from Zimbabwe who visited friends in Mokopane recently, was placed in quarantine for 21 days at the MDR Hospital in Modimolle.
She was admitted to the hospital, one of the provincial isolation hubs for COVID-19 positive patients, on Sunday, after she had tested positive for the virus.
The woman, who opted to remain anonymous, voluntarily spoke to Bosveld yesterday.
She said she had been in in self-isolation since 20 March in a flat on the premises of her employer’s friend in Voor Street, Mokopane.
“I travelled from Zimbabwe to Mokopane, not knowing that I had contracted the virus,” she told Bosveld.
She said she arrived in Mokopane on 19 March to visit friends.
“My first stop was at my friend’s employer’s house. She noticed I had a cough and asked me about it. I told her that I had developed a fever a week before while still at home with my family in Harare.”
The woman told Bosveld that the rest of her family members also showed flu-like symptoms.
“Myself and my friend’s employer decided it was perhaps best for us to self-isolate, which is what we did.”
She explained that her friend’s employer had taken her to a local testing laboratory on 23 March.
Four days later, she received the result that she had tested positive for COVID-19.
Workers from the Department of Health transported her to the hospital in Modimolle.
“I am currently in isolation, in a nice room with a bathroom and television.
Everything is very professional and strict rules and instructions are in place.”
Among these, she explained, is that she receives her food through a glass window.
“Even though I can hear other people coughing, from where my room is, I feel fine and do not show symptoms anymore.”
She hoped to be tested again today (Wednesday).
Adri Knoetze, who the patient’s friend works for told Bosveld said the protocol followed by health workers when they came to fetch the woman, was carried out with great care.
“The driver of the ambulance wore protective gear and kept a safe distance at all times. The ambulance is also sub-divided, so that the driver cannot come into too close contact to the patient. He opened the back door of the ambulance for the woman where she sat in isolation.”
Even though Knoetze and her family are asymptomatic, they are not in the clear yet, she said.
“We won’t leave the premises before we have tested negative after the lockdown. One can be a carrier of the virus for two weeks.”
Knoetze agreed with experts that the symptoms can be mild and flu-like, causing people to not even consider that they might have contracted the virus.
“I believe there are more residents who might be COVID-19 positive, but don’t realise it yet. Stay at home and keep your social distance if you need to go out,” was her advice.
Limpopo currently has 14 positive COVID-19 cases: Waterberg (8), Capricorn (3), Vhembe (2) Mopani (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).
