Four employees from the National Department of Health have tested positive for COVID-19, the department announced on Tuesday.
The department said the four infected employees include one from the Ministerial Office and three from the department itself.
“All employees, who had been in close contact, are being traced and will be managed as per the expected procedures for contact tracing, testing and quarantine. We wish these employees a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming them back when they are declared fully recovered,” the department said in a statement.
The department said it continues to operate and will not be closed. It said the Minister and Deputy Minister of Health had not physically been in contact with any of the employees.
The department said the health and well-being of its employees, who are essential to the fight against Coronavirus, is of paramount importance.
“… The department employees have been exemplary in their conduct since the onset of the pandemic. All workplace regulations have been closely observed and service delivery has been maintained, even while many have been working from home,” the department said.
The Ministry of Health has also expressed sincere gratitude to all employees in the Department of Health for leading by example.
“Coronavirus will touch all our lives, but our best efforts do make a difference. We can fight Coronavirus, even as we open the economy and interact more with each other, if we observe the rules of engagement. We must always wear our masks over the nose and mouth, even in the workspace.
“We must strictly abide by the rules of social distancing. We must clean our hands and the surfaces we encounter fastidiously … Added to this, we must avoid crowded places and avoid leaving home whenever possible,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za
