Ekurhuleni clinic closed after nurse tests positive for Covid-19

The City of Ekurhuleni closed the Duduza Clinic indefinitely on Wednesday after a nurse tested positive for the coronavirus.

The nurse had attended a prayer breakfast at Divine Restoration Ministries in Ribblesdale, Bloemfontein, on March 10.

The prayer breakfast took place before the 100 people gathering limit was imposed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 15.

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe and the party's chief whip in the national assembly also tested positive for Covid-19 after attending the same prayer breakfast.

The city said the nurse underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Covid-19 on Monday, after being identified as a contact of the Bloemfontein gathering.

The results returned positive on Tuesday and the nurse has subsequently been placed under quarantine and is currently under medical observation, said the city.

Clinical staff who work at the clinic and have displayed symptoms of Covid-19 have been tested and are currently under self-isolation as they await their test results. Staff who have not displayed symptoms have been placed on special leave to self-isolate until further notice.

The city said potential contacts were currently being traced and will be tested for Covid-19 to mitigate against community transmissions.

Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina said the clinic and the surrounding area will be sanitised during the period of closure to kill any traces of the Covid-19 virus that may have survived on the surfaces.

He said two mobile clinics will be deployed to the area to serve the community for the period of the closure.

Staff from surrounding clinics will be deployed to the mobile clinics and will be required to wear protective personal equipment and practise stringent hygiene protocols when working with the public.

“We continue to call for calm within our communities as we respond to cases of Covid-19 in and around Ekurhuleni,” said Masina.

He said the city wished the nurse a speedy recovery.

“It is important that I reiterate that the fastest way to avert community transmissions of Covid-19 is to stay home and adhere to the regulations of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.”