They join Mpumalanga in that regard. South Africa at present has 2783 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the second highest on the continent after Egypt. From the statistics released by, Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize on Friday evening, the Northern Cape, North West and Limpopo were the only two provinces that did not reflect any increases in case numbers from the day prior. The North West stands at 24 cases, while the Northern Cape has 16.

In early April, OFM News reported on some of the strict measures put in place by the North West Health Department to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Private General Practitioners (GP) and hospitals in the province now have to seek permission from the province’s Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha for patients to be quarantined at home. The announcement was made after two COVID-19 positive patients – one from Rustenburg and the other from Bloemhof – went awol following their diagnosis. 

The former was found in Mahikeng a week after testing positive, while the latter, was found by officials at a farm near Welkom in the Free State. Department spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, tells OFM News, once Sambatha has received the written request for self-quarantine, he will send a team of clinicians to assess the suitability of the residence for self-quarantine. Lekgethwane motivates why this measure is feasible.

“We think it’s feasible. The MEC is not a one person show. He is the office. And the office is at liberty at all times to advise the MEC on what’s to be done. If for example there are cases coming, it is the same district chief directors that need to motivate why a person must be placed under self-quarantine” says Lekgethwane.

This appears to have assisted the province in slowing down the outbreak somewhat, with only one new case reported since the release of the story over a week ago.

OFM News