Johannesburg – More than 500 residents were disappointed to find the Diepsloot South Clinic in Midrand closed on Wednesday after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19.
The township, with a population of 300 000, has recorded the highest number of positive cases at 133, together with Midrand and Lanseria.
Ward councillor Abraham Mabuke said the member was part of a team conducting door-to-door screenings.
“The staff member is part of an NGO working with the Department of Health. They go around the community screening people,” he said.
Mabuke said the member collapsed after seeing her test results on her cellphone, which had been sent to her by SMS.
“It's a problem now. Health authorities have to try and trace her movement around the community and also at the clinic where she was working,” he said.
Gauteng Health spokesperson Kwara Kekana confirmed that a staff member at the clinic had tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Services were temporarily suspended for a few hours as a precautionary measure. The affected area was deep-cleaned.”
Kekana said the clinic was back in operation, but wouldn't provide further details on the staff member who tested positive.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Infrastructure Development and Property Development MEC Tasneem Motara is on a mission to increase existing hospital beds and wards.