Absa Richards Bay closed pending confirmation that mom and grade R daughter have Covid-19

Absa in Richards Bay, northern KwaZulu-Natal, has temporarily closed it doors pending the outcome of an investigation into a suspected case of Covid-19.

The bank's national spokesperson, Gugulethu Maqetuka, confirmed with TimesLIVE on Tuesday evening that the bank had closed it doors on Monday.

This follows reports by the provincial department of education that an employee at a bank and her daughter had tested positive for the virus after they had private consultations with a doctor in the area.

“The matter was immediately reported to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), and Absa remains in contact with all the affected colleagues, who are now in precautionary self-quarantine.”

Maqetuka added that the bank's measures were in line with the NICD guidelines.

“We have a comprehensive support structure for employees affected by Covid-19. We are monitoring the situation closely and will keep our customers and employees informed of any changes. It is important to note that to date, Absa has no confirmed Covid-19 case.”

On Monday, TimesLIVE reported that Richards Bay Primary School had to close prematurely after a grade R pupil had been confirmed to have contracted the virus.

MEC for education Kwazi Mshengu told the media on Tuesday that they had obtained information from their district's offices.

“Yesterday [Monday] we got information that the principal had received a call from a private doctor who had tested the mother as well as the grade R learner and then confirmed that they tested positive for coronavirus.”

He said the matter was now with the department of health and the NICD.

Spokesperson for the minister of health Lwazi Manzi said the NICD was probing two suspected cases, but could not confirm if they were the Richards Bay cases.

She said the department would issue a statement when they had the test results.