
Duduza Clinic Up and Running After COVID-19 Incident
The Duduza clinic is up and running after a nurse tested positive to covid-19 earlier this month. Executive Mayor Masina visited and inspected the mobile clinics in Duduza on 2 April 2020.
The nurse in question had attended the prayer breakfast at the Divine Restoration Ministries in Ribblesdale, Bloemfontein, on 10 March 2020. The nurse underwent a polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 on 30 March 2020, after being identified as a contact of the Bloemfontein gathering. The results returned positive on 31 March 2020 and the nurse was subsequently placed under quarantine and went through medical observation.
Clinical staff who work at the clinic and have displayed symptoms of COVID-19 have been tested and placed under self-isolation as they await their test results. Staff who did not display symptoms were placed on special leave to self-isolate. Potential contacts were traced and tested for COVID-19 to mitigate against community transmissions. Two mobile clinics were deployed to the area to serve the community for the period of the closure.
The clinic was deep cleaned and all 55 clinical staff were tested, with all 45 first results coming out negative. Results for other clinical staff are still outstanding, and the surrounding community was also tested on 3 April.
Speaking after the opening, Mayor Masina said, “We would like to thank the community of Duduza for playing their part during the closure of Duduza Clinic. Let us all continue to stay indoors and observe the national lockdown as declared by President Ramaphosa. We have passed the halfway mark of the nation-wide lockdown and the decisions we make over the next 10 days will define the country’s victory over this devastating pandemic. We dare not fail ourselves, said Executive Masina.
The facility and the surrounding area were sanitised during the period of closure to kill any traces of the COVID-19 virus that may have survived on surfaces. Staff from surrounding clinics were deployed to the mobile clinics and were required to wear personal protective equipment and practice stringent hygiene protocols when working with the public.
“We continue to call for calm within our communities as we respond to cases of COVID-19 in and around Ekurhuleni. What is of the utmost importance is that we isolate the virus wherever it rears its ugly head. It is important that I reiterated that the fastest way to avert community transmissions of COVID-19 is to stay home and adhere to the regulations of the nation-wide lockdown,” said Executive Mayor Masina.
Executive Mayor Masina and the City wished the nurse who tested positive for Covid-19 a speedy recovery.