Hijackers make off with Covid-19 tests in Port Elizabeth
Image: 123RF/Jarun Ontakrai
A courier truck ferrying test samples for the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) was hijacked in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane has confirmed.
Mabuyane used his weekly media briefing on Tuesday to condemn criminal activity he said happened on Monday afternoon.
“Yesterday we received reports that a courier vehicle transporting Covid-19 specimens for the NHLS was hijacked in Port Elizabeth and criminals who did this took a white container with the specimens,” he said. “We condemn this act of criminality, which puts the lives of people at risk.”
He said anyone who sees a white cooler box must report to the police.
This is not the first time that there has been a mishap with Covid-19 test kits. Last month hundreds of kits — all marked as urgent — were found dumped on the side of a national road in the Eastern Cape.
At the time of writing, police had not been able to confirm the latest incident.