The Premier of the Eastern Cape Oscar Mabuyane addressed the media on Monday after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the Covid-19 outbreak a national state of disaster.
By Monday morning there were 61 confirmed cases in South Africa, but still, not a single case has been reported in the Eastern Cape.
Premier Mabuyane says there was a voice note doing the rounds over the weekend about a person who was a guest at a Hotel who showed symptoms of the virus.
He says this individual was subsequently tested and the result came back negative.
Mabuyane says even though there are no cases in the Province yet, the Department of Health has already activated resources and systems to test and treat possible infections.
The EC Province will implement the following steps immediately:
-Roadblocks will be set up at all points of entry into the province via roads and airports.
-Screening tools will be allocated for all roadblocks
-Professional nurses will be assigned to work in the field hospitals and they will be assisted by 1 000 nursing assistants, with more to be trained.
-All health workers will be given Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing such as masks, gloves and plastic aprons.
-The PPE clothing will be used when treating any person under investigation or people showing symptoms
-Hospitals are being prepared to handle severe cases and space will be created to treat and manage these cases.
Premier Mabuyane says there are 38 laboratories in the province that will be used for testing, including the three main laboratories in Port Elizabeth, East London and Mthatha.
He says isolation rooms are also located at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth, Frere Hospital in East London and the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha.
The government will ensure that there is enough food at health centres and will procure more equipment like ventilators and oxygen.
Extra water tanks and soap will also be provided.
A provincial team will also be meeting with local municipalities to identify events that were scheduled to take place, especially where more than 100 people were expected.
This is in line with the directive from the President which is binding on everyone.
Vessels coming into Ports
Provincial Government will continue to work with Port Managers to ensure all vessels coming into our Ports are processed properly.
All those on board vessels will be tested for Coronavirus and in the event that there are people who might test positive, they will be quarantined.
The provincial government will also work closely with the big manufacturers and assembly plants in the province that produce products for domestic and international markets to ensure that there is no spread of the virus.
