IN PICTURES | Officials disinfect Alexandra hostel to curb spread of Covid-19

Less than a week after Gauteng’s Alexandra township recorded its first case of Covid-19, the government has been hard at work trying to contain the spread of the pandemic

Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, being disinfected. Residents stand in line to receive sanitisers.
Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, being disinfected. Residents stand in line to receive sanitisers. (Alon Skuy)

Less than a week after Gauteng’s Alexandra township recorded its first case of Covid-19, the government has been hard at work trying to contain the spread of the pandemic. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night announced that the government would roll out 10,000 field workers across communities in SA to conduct screening and testing.  

SA's death toll climbed to five on Tuesday, with 1,380 confirmed cases. 

On Wednesday, members of the health services went to Madala hostel, Alexandra, to educate, disinfect and provide sanitisers to residents. 

Officials arrived to be met by curious onlookers, who came out of their rooms to form queues with their empty containers to be filled with disinfectant. Some peeped through their doors as they observed day six of the nationwide lockdown. 

The visit comes after the Gauteng health department started screening, tracing and testing for Covid-19 at the township. 

The department has also rolled out 60 mobile labs to various hotspot areas to help increase the capacity for testing.  

Spokesperson for the department Kwara Kekana could not specify where the labs would be situated, other than densely populated areas. 

Combined, men and women in the 21 to 60 years-old age categories accounted for 79.4% of the total Covid-19 cases. 
Combined, men and women in the 21 to 60 years-old age categories accounted for 79.4% of the total Covid-19 cases.  (Alon Skuy)
Residents at Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, stand in line to receive disinfectant distributed by health services.
Residents at Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, stand in line to receive disinfectant distributed by health services. (Alon Skuy)
Members of the health services go about their work disinfecting the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, amid efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
Members of the health services go about their work disinfecting the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, amid efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic. (Alon Skuy)
Members of the health services disinfect the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as the government tries to control the outbreak of Covid-19.
Members of the health services disinfect the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as the government tries to control the outbreak of Covid-19. (Alon Skuy)
The association's spokesperson, Buhle Ngwenya, said all metro and district municipalities have been preparing for an expected spread of the virus.
The association's spokesperson, Buhle Ngwenya, said all metro and district municipalities have been preparing for an expected spread of the virus. (Alon Skuy)
Members of the health services disinfected the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as part of the government's efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic.
Members of the health services disinfected the Madala hostel in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as part of the government's efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic. (Alon Skuy)

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