Coronavirus: NWU sets up response team to deal with preparedness
The NWU announced on social media platforms and via SMS messages Friday that it had set up a response team to deal with preparedness for the possible spread of the virus.
The university advised students and staff to take care of basic health and sanitation as protective measures against the Coronavirus. Washing hands regularly is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus and protect yourself.
Posters have been put up in public bathrooms across campuses to advise students and staff on protection measures.
The university has a dedicated Coronavirus website, filled with advice and the latest news.
Rumour mills have been working overtime since the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, announced Thursday that the first case of Covid-19 (the novel Coronavirus) has been confirmed in South Africa.
News24 issued an alert Friday to debunk a social media message claiming that the second Coronavirus case was confirmed in “Mooi River, Potchefstroom”. MediClinic Potchefstroom also confirmed in a statement that there are no cases in or near Potchefstroom.
MediClinic said that the hospital has implemented the necessary measures to manage patients presenting with symptoms of the novel Coronavirus. The hospital encouraged people with symptoms and signs of flu who may have been exposed to the virus to seek medical help.
Mkhize said on Thursday that South Africa is “adequately prepared for active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of Coronavirus infection.”
In a media statement, the minister advised South Africans to take the following measures to protect themselves:
- avoid close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections
- wash hands frequently
- avoid unprotected contact with farm or wild animals if travelling in China
- cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or arm when sneezing, and not your hands
A video from the World Health Organisation encouraging people to follow basic steps to protect themselves from the virus.
A trustworthy source for updated information on the total number of Coronavirus cases around the world is the Johns Hopkins University online dashboard, tracking the virus in real time. The university is in Baltimore, Maryland.