RUSTENBURG - The North West province has recorded five Covid-19 cases, health MEC Madoda Samabatha said on Tuesday.
"One patient is from Mahikeng, two from Rustenburg and one from Bloemhof. The Mahikeng patient is a 68-year-old male who travelled to three countries in Europe – Spain, France and Italy. He is asymptomatic and quarantined at home. His primary contacts have been identified," he said.
"From Bojanala two cases are reported. The first one is a 39-year-old female who sought care at Peglarae Hospital in Rustenburg on 17 March. Tests were conducted by Lancet lab on 17 March and confirmed positive Covid-19 on 21 March.
"The patient has been on self-quarantine at home from 17 March and is currently a stable in good condition. The second patient is a 40-year-old female visited obstetrician at Louis Pasteur hospital in Pretoria, also on 17 March with symptoms.
"She was also tested by a private laboratory and tests were confirmed positive on 21 March. The patient is on self-quarantine at home since 17 March. Her condition is stable."
The fourth patient is from Bloemhof in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district municipality.
"This patient is said to have attended church in Bloemfontein and is a 21-year-old female. She was in contact with visitors from European countries. The patient is asymptomatic and is self-quarantined. Contact tracing is under way."
"The fifth case is new, has just been announced today. We therefore are still tracking details of this case and will announce as information is received," Samabatha said.
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in the North West said it has welcomed the national lockdown announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa as bold, decisive and a necessary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The civic organisation appealed to South Africans to play their part and act responsibly by staying at home during this period.
"If the proactive lockdown was not announced before the Easter holidays, a catastrophe that would have developed due to increased movement of people across the country.
Sanco provincial chairperson Paul Sebegoe said that the number of infections would have skyrocketed making it difficult to contain and control the spread of the virus and the disease.