Quarantine zone housing 114 SA returnees from Wuhan on lockdown

Four buses transporting South Africans who were evacuated from China had their seats wrapped with plastic and were escorted to a quarantine resort outside Polokwane. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Four buses transporting South Africans who were evacuated from China had their seats wrapped with plastic and were escorted to a quarantine resort outside Polokwane. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Mar 15, 2020

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Cape Town - Four buses transporting South Africans who were evacuated from China had their seats wrapped with plastic and were escorted to a quarantine resort outside Polokwane on Saturday a few hours after their arrival.

The 114 passengers and crew members ferried by SAA-chartered aircraft were evacuated from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

The group, according to Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, tested negative for Covid-19 but would remain at the Ranch Resort for 21 days as a precautionary measure.

Almost an hour after they had landed, the bus exited the facility via the airport’s private gate east of the hangar.

Some community members waited along the R101 near the weigh bridge to catch a glimpse of the returnees. Some motorists were forced to park their cars at a petrol station, waiting for the military and authorities to clear the road.

Military personnel began taking control of the Ranch Resort near Polokwane on Thursday morning.

Mkhize, flanked by his Home Affairs counterpart Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Co-operative Governance Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Tourism Minister Mamoloko

Kubayi and Limpopo premier Chupu Mathabatha warned on Thursday that the area would be patrolled throughout the day and that legal action would be taken against those found in restricted areas.

On Thursday morning, a number of workers from Ranch Resort could be seen leaving the facility, claiming they were going home in the hope of returning after the 21-day quarantine was over.

Mkhize said Ranch Resort had been identified as the most suitable venue for quarantine after an intensive search by senior army officials.

An important criteria was that the area be away from human habitation. He also warned that anyone found on the facility without authorisation would be quarantined.

“These are South Africans who are not sick. When we were looking for a facility, we were not looking for a hospital. They are also South Africans who are not infected,” said Mkhize.

One of the lingering concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak is the annual Easter pilgrimage, which attracts an average of 2 million Zion Christian Church members to Moria, about 30km east of Polokwane.

Mathabatha said they had already met the leader of the ZCC, Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane, to discuss the outbreak. However, it appears the pilgrimage will continue as usual, with Mathabatha saying they would distribute 1 million pamphlets to the church to raise awareness of the virus.

Mkhize used the media briefing to retract the statement that an additional case of Covid-19 had been reported in Free State. He said further tests indicated that the citizen was not infected.

“We verified the results and found that they were negative, and we took the conclusion of the matter,” he said.

Mkhize also revealed that all the 14 Limpopo TVET students who recently returned from China had tested negative for Covid-19. He said the test had been conducted to fend off rumours and concerns about the virus.

“The fact that they came from China should not cause public concern that they could be carrying the virus. They did not have the infections, they did not test positive,” said Mkhize.

Mukurukuru Media

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