Durban - A group of Absa staff based at the Absa Towers in Johannesburg have been asked to self-quarantine after coming into contact with a contractor who exhibited flu-like symptoms.
In a statement on Thursday, Absa said the contractor who is from Spain, was at their premises and reported to the company's health clinic after experiencing symptoms.
"Based on his condition, our medical team immediately assisted him to undergo the necessary testing procedures for Covid-19 in line with national guidelines, and recommended immediate self-quarantine. For some time, we have enhanced surveillance and monitoring of our own environment, including the symptoms Absa colleagues, contractors and visitors may be experiencing," the bank said.
Absa said they have been in contact with the individual’s employer and they have put in place measures to assist him.
"All Absa colleagues who have been in contact with the individual have been identified, and following consultation with our medical team, will also go into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure. The suspected case was immediately reported to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). The steps taken above are also in line with the guidelines of the NICD," the bank said.
They said results will be available in the next 24 to 48 hours and all measures taken were "purely precautionary".
Meanwhile, there are at least 17 confirmed cases of coronavirus in SA. On Thursday, the Department of Health confirmed four new cases in KZN, Mpumalanga, the Free State and Gauteng - with each province having one new case each.
Health Minister Zweli said a 32-year-old man who had come into contact with a Chinese businessman tested positive for the coronavirus in the Free State.
This patient, who had not travelled abroad, becomes the first local transmission of the virus on South African shores.
"This is the first case of local transmission as all others have been by patients who had travelled abroad," Mkhize cautioned.