21 Eskom employees infected with Covid-19

Published May 21, 2020

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JOHANNESBURG - South African state power utility company, Eskom announced on Thursday 21 of its employees have been infected with Covid-19. 

André de Ruyter, chief executive of Eskom said that comprehensive and focused effort is in place to protect their employees and contractors, which are in compliance with the government's Covid-19 health and safety regulations, prior to working on site. 

De Ruyter said that despite the reported infections at the company, operations at power stations and power networks have continued at minimal disruption. 

The latest Covid-19 statistics for South Africa, released yesterday, showed that South Africa’s 27 new deaths came from the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, data released by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize shows.

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— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA)

The Western Cape had 23 deaths, while the remaining four came from the Eastern Cape. 

In addition, almost eight out of every 10 new infections came from the Western Cape as it recorded 623 of the 803 new infections in the country. 

On Wednesday, a day which marked Day 55 under South Africa’s lockdown, the total infections were at 18 003 and total deaths now sat at 339.

The Eastern Cape also continued to see the second-most new cases, with 80.

Mkhize also announced the death of a two-day-old baby, the youngest victim from the country. The baby had been born premature and the mother had been infected, the minister said. 

“Regrettably we report a further 27 Covid-19-related deaths. This brings the total national deaths to 339.

“Sadly we have recorded the first neonatal mortality related to Covid-19. This was a 2-day-old baby that was born prematurely and therefore had lung difficulties which required ventilation support immediately after birth. 

BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE 

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