The concern surfaced at the quarterly Industrial Emergency Planning Committee meeting held recently at the civic centre. GIVEN industry’s large employee numbers and significant international travel links, Richards Bay could be a prime location for the spread of the coronavirus. The concern surfaced at the quarterly Industrial Emergency Planning Committee meeting held recently at the civic centre. While some companies indicated a level of preparation, with protocols in place in the event of the virus spreading to the workplace, industry representatives were instructed to submit their contingency plans to the City of uMhlathuze as a matter of urgency.
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SIX more pupils of Richards Bay Primary School are to be tested for coronavirus this morning according to a local medical practice. The Department of Health will also be confirming the tests done by a private laboratory on the Grade R pupil, who was reported yesterday to have contracted the virus, pre-empting the early closure of the school. Reports indicated that a number of people who may have been in contact with affected persons are going into self-isolation as a precautionary measure.
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A spokesperson for the Richards Bay family affected by the coronavirus says social media postings have added more pain to their already upsetting situation. The woman confirmed that all five members of the family, spanning three generations, had been tested and that only the youngest – the Richards Bay Primary learner – had at this stage been positively declared to be carrying the Covid-19 virus.
However, this was done by a private laboratory not accredited by the World Health Organisation, and after further tests to be conducted today by the Department of Health, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID) would formally confirm the case if those tests are positive. The mother of the child, who tested negative at the private lab, would also be retested.
She also confirmed that none of the family, who are all in quarantine, had been out of the country and there was no indication of where or how the virus had been caught. ‘While it is a potentially serious situation, we are taking it in our stride and treating it like any other flu under medical supervision.
‘But it is the invasion of our privacy that is really upsetting. For example, some people just pulled our family photo off Facebook and circulated it all over WhatsApp without permission.
‘There are also terrible comments circulating and even videos, and we have had some nasty calls, as though we are to blame. ‘But I can assure you the patients followed all the right medical protocols and the moment the results came back as positive, this was shared with the necessary entities.
‘I just want people to pray for the whole family and allow us the discretion and confidentiality we deserve while we deal with this problem.’
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Richards Bay is virus high risk
Zululand Observer 17 March 2020
The concern surfaced at the quarterly Industrial Emergency Planning Committee meeting held recently at the civic centre. GIVEN industry’s large employee numbers and significant international travel links, Richards Bay could be a prime location for the spread of the coronavirus. The concern surfaced at the quarterly Industrial Emergency Planning Committee meeting held recently at the civic centre. While some companies indicated a level of preparation, with protocols in place in the event of the virus spreading to the workplace, industry representatives were instructed to submit their contingency plans to the City of uMhlathuze as a matter of urgency.
‘We need to know what every industry is doing, to ensure an effective combined strategy,’ said meeting chairman Zilindile Masango, Head of Section: Public Health and Emergency Services.
‘In the event of any confirmed case of infection, the Department of Health will not only need to know who the person is but also all those who might have come into contact with the patient.
‘The department would also need to know the full travel details of visitors who entered – including connecting flights – and those with whom they came into contact at the workplace, said Masango.
The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) representative at the meeting allayed fears of ships bringing corona contamination into the port, since the virus can be detected within 14 days and the voyage from China or other ports in the Far East takes about 22 days, which gives ample time for screening and testing. The discussion followed a presentation by Mphilisi Ntengenyane, Infection Prevention and Control Co-ordinator of the Department of Health in the King Cetshwayo District.
He gave a detailed description by of the history, spread, symptoms and treatment of the virus. ‘It is important that everyone shares the same, correct facts of the coronavirus and has the right understanding of the situation.
‘There have been many false assumptions and rumours of new victims and these must be disregarded unless they come directly from the KZN Department of Health,’ said Ntengenyane, adding that only the laboratories of the NCID (National Centre for Infectious Diseases) were internationally accredited for testing of the virus.
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Oor die positiewe geval(le) – Niemand val ‘n familielid of ‘n lid wat positief getoets is aan nie, en ons gebede gaan uit na die gesin en diegene wat nog getoets moet word. Ook dat almal binnekort ten volle gesond sal wees.
Die mening word gehuldig, indien dit slegs die Graad R skoolkind van Richardsbaai is wat in hierdie stadium positief getoets is vir die COVID-19-virus, waar het hy / sy dit dan gekry?
Dit kan slegs op sekere maniere oorgedra word. Ons as gemeenskap sal nie nou antwoorde vind nie maar die reg om te weet. Want dan is daar iemand (in kontak) of in die skool, bus, taxi, stad of strate van Richardsbaai of selfs die winkels waar besoeke gebring is, wat die virus het. Selfs werkers oral.
Ons as gemeenskap en burgers is ook ontsteld omdat dit vinnig kan versprei wat ons as gemeenskap dalk ook nie sal kan beheer nie. Daarom, moet elkeen werk aan hul eie “beperkingsareas” en self-isolasie – tref jou eie voorsorg, niemand gaan dit namens jou doen nie.
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No one attacks any family member or any member positive tested, and our prayers go out to the family and those still to be tested. Also that everyone will fully healthy soon.
The opinion is, if only the Grade R schoolchild of Richards Bay was tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at this stage, where did he / she get it? Or perhaps workers everywhere. It can only be transmitted in certain ways. We as a community will not find answers now but have the right to know. Because then there is someone (in contact) or in the school, bus, taxi, city or streets of Richards Bay or even the shops where visits were made, which has the virus. And workers everywhere.
We as a community and citizens are also upset because it can spread rapidly which we as a community may not be able to control. Therefore, each must work on their own “restriction areas”, self-isolation and quarantines.
ONAFHANKLIK 