Central SA
#Coronavirus: FS hits 93 infections─── LUCKY NKUYANE 08:35 Fri, 10 Apr 2020
The number of those infected with the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the Free State - which was recently described as a cause for concern by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize - is steadily continuing to increase.
The province now has a total of 93 confirmed cases, up from 88. Covid-19 has thus far killed 3 people in the province.
The Free State had only seven confirmed cases barely three weeks ago. This, after five international guests; two from Israel, two from Texas and one from France, attended a church gathering in Bloemfontein and tested positive for the virus.
As the result, the spike in infections in the provinces has been attributed to the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast held at the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein in March.
Meanwhile, these guests are being repatriated back to their respective countries after receiving the all-clear from the health department.
OFM News earlier reported that Mkhize – while addressing the nation on Covid-19 – flagged Mangaung (which includes Bloemfontein), as well as Sandton in Gauteng, as potential epicenters of the virus in South Africa.
So far three provinces, which include the North West, Northern Cape and Gauteng, have confirmed positive cases of Covid-19 where patients attended the Bloemfontein church gathering.
The North West MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha, previously announced that a 21-year old woman from Bloemhof near Wolmaransstad was among those who tested positive for the virus after attending the service in Bloemfontein.
OFM News previously reported that the first two confirmed cases in the Northern Cape were from Hartswater, where a couple tested positive after also attending a church gathering in Bloemfontein.
Recently, the Ekurhuleni executive mayor in Gauteng, Mzwandile Masina, dropped another bombshell when he announced that a nurse who works at the Duduza Clinic, tested positive after attending this church gathering.
Meanwhile, Free State premier Sisi Ntombela announced six days ago that nine people in the province have thus far recovered from the virus.
Ntombela also applauded the contact tracing team after it was able to identify more than 1 815 contacts from the positive cases. She added that the team was also able to trace 1 484 people and had over 2 500 screened.
OFM News
