NORTHERN CAPE COVID 19 CASES BREAKDOWN 29 APRIL 2020

The Northern Cape has 17 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 since the first positive patient was recorded in South Africa on 5th March 2020, and the first patient recorded in the Phokwane Local Municipality in the Frances Baard District on 23rd March.

The analysis of data shows that ten of our people who tested positive caught the infection from an infected person overseas or from an infected person in another province. In six of our people the infection was transferred within the province following the attendance of the couple at the church gathering in Bloemfontein on March 10th. Of these 16 people, 13 are deemed to have recovered from their infection. The three who are under observation but showing no symptoms are the family unit in Hantam Local Municipality in the Namakwa District. They remain under self-isolation until they are deemed recovered.

The most recent compatriot infected with Covid-19 in the province lives in the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality in the ZF Mgcawu District. After experiencing a persistent cough for several weeks, he came forward for testing and was placed under self-quarantine. The result came back positive over the weekend and he is now in self-isolation. The Health Department immediately implemented a programme to trace and test all close contacts and we will know the results shortly.

These experiences demonstrate two important principles. Firstly, if you show any symptoms at all, we call upon you to make yourself known to the health department by telephoning the Covid-19 Hotline (0800 029 999). Secondly, the importance of staying at home, social distancing and wearing a fabric mask if you must go out, is evident. The provincial border controls and roadblocks are a vital part of keeping us all safe.