She said: “In the past two to three weeks we sold 10,000, mainly to the Asian community. People are definitely being cautious about the coronavirus. We will definitely be getting in more masks.”
SA health ministry spokesperson Dr Lwazi Manzi said no cases had been reported in SA, but that precautionary measures were in place, including bringing in military medical officers at checkpoints.
The SA government also derided fake claims about the virus appearing in SA.
On Tuesday, Dr Manzi said that, for second time, there were allegations of the coronavirus in the Western Cape. “We categorically refute these claims and confirm that, to date, there is no case of coronavirus in SA.”
She said the WHO-AFRO sent 71 samples from around Africa to the SA National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) “and all these specimens have tested negative”.
SA would continue to intensify screening at all ports of entry, focusing on major airports, because air travellers were responsible for most infections outside China.
“We have deployed additional staff and asked for the assistance of medical staff from the National Defence Force to beef up screening where additional capacity was needed.
No restrictions on travel or trade with China were in place “though we do continue to advise that non- essential travel should be delayed until the situation abates”, she said.
China was also screening all travellers who intended leaving China before they were able to purchase a ticket. “Any traveller found to have a red flag in the screening process is denied further leave to travel until coronavirus is excluded."
Coronavirus screening at EL Mercedes plant
Image: Francis Kokoroko
Workers at Mercedes-Benz SA in East London are being tested frequently for signs of the coronavirus from Wuhan, China.
The company, which made record sales in China last year, on Wednesday emphatically denied allegations made in an anonymous WhatsApp message that Chinese workers at the MBSA plant had the virus.
But MBSA did release a full list of precautionary measures in place.
MBSA spokesperson Thato Mntambo said: “Frequent temperature screening of all line builder staff is carried out daily using non-contact thermometers.”
She added: “Thus far, no suspected cases of novel coronavirus have been detected. Employees and suppliers of MBSA can be assured that measures are in place to detect, manage and contain any cases of novel coronavirus should it come to our manufacturing operations.”
Mntambo said the corporation was aware of “a recent social media post alleging the spread of novel coronavirus at its manufacturing operations in East London”.
“We wish to state categorically that these rumours are false. There are no reported suspected cases of novel coronavirus in SA.”
She said the company's expansion work in East London “necessitates the importation of skills from various part of the globe”.
“While none of MBSA’s employees or contractors are from the Hubei province (where Wuhan city is) in China, where the risk of novel coronavirus is believed to have originated, the company has proactively implemented measures to contain the spread of contagion.”
Parliament wants departments to work together over coronavirus
She said MBSA's safety measures included:
She said: “We wish to reiterate that employees and suppliers of MBSA can be assured that the company is well equipped to detect, manage and contain any cases of novel coronavirus."
East London's Johnson & Johnson said it was producing critical medical and pharmaceutical products for China but did not supply details.
The company said it was “closely monitoring the coronavirus situation” and “taking actions to support virus prevention for our employees to ensure we can continue to produce these critical products across China”.
By 2pm on Wednesday, AFP reported that the virus had killed almost 500 people around the world and 24,000 people were infected in mainland China. On Tuesday, China announced its highest death toll in a single day of 65.
The World Health Organisation dismissed claims that a vaccine had been found, and stressed there was no effective treatment for the virus.
Many East London residents are feeling nervous. Face masks have been bought by the thousand, and Berea Pharmacy has sold out.
Pharmacist Jessica Tomalin said they had gone from selling one or two masks a month to thousands in days.
She said: “In the past two to three weeks we sold 10,000, mainly to the Asian community. People are definitely being cautious about the coronavirus. We will definitely be getting in more masks.”
SA health ministry spokesperson Dr Lwazi Manzi said no cases had been reported in SA, but that precautionary measures were in place, including bringing in military medical officers at checkpoints.
The SA government also derided fake claims about the virus appearing in SA.
On Tuesday, Dr Manzi said that, for second time, there were allegations of the coronavirus in the Western Cape. “We categorically refute these claims and confirm that, to date, there is no case of coronavirus in SA.”
She said the WHO-AFRO sent 71 samples from around Africa to the SA National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) “and all these specimens have tested negative”.
SA would continue to intensify screening at all ports of entry, focusing on major airports, because air travellers were responsible for most infections outside China.
“We have deployed additional staff and asked for the assistance of medical staff from the National Defence Force to beef up screening where additional capacity was needed.
No restrictions on travel or trade with China were in place “though we do continue to advise that non- essential travel should be delayed until the situation abates”, she said.
China was also screening all travellers who intended leaving China before they were able to purchase a ticket. “Any traveller found to have a red flag in the screening process is denied further leave to travel until coronavirus is excluded."
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