This will include all MEC’s and representatives of opposition parties. Premier Sisi Ntombela says part of her government’s stringent measures is to close some of the borders shared between the province and the neighbouring country of Lesotho. She says 114 beds have been organised across the province, with 38 beds at the isolation centre of Pelonomi in Bloemfontein, which is the province’s designated hospital during the coronavirus outbreak. 

Meanwhile, addressing the media in a joint media briefing of the Exco, MEC of Health, Montsheng Tsiu, says the province has a challenge of tracing people who might have been exposed to people infected by the virus. So far 116 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed by the Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize.

Tsiu says they have had talks with some of the private health care centres in the province to assist the province with space, in case numbers become too much for the government to handle. With some areas in the province facing water issues, Ntombela says measures are in place to assist those communities in Maluti-A-Phofung, which includes Qwaqwa. 

“We had a meeting with all Mayors and Municipal Managers (MMs) to make sure they’re also going to help our people to get water. Tanks and everything must be there, our people must not struggle to get water, even those who are disabled must be able to get some water,” she adds.

She says that 1000 staff nurses will be employed to assist the province in case of an outbreak in the province. Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning the nursing staff at Pelonomi went back at their working stations following a brief demonstration in front of the hospital’s admissions.

This after these casualty nurses voiced their concerns about them not being sufficiently trained and prepared to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

OFM News