Quarantine for China returnees
IN FREE STATE: HEALTH AND ARMY STAFF ROPED IN
They may be isolated in venue near Thaba Nchu with nearby landing strip.
Most of the South African citizens currently in China who are to be repatriated may be heading for the Free State. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday that he had ordered the repatriation of SA citizens from Wuhan city in Hubei province, China.
Ramaphosa said Cabinet made the decision after considering the circumstances and following several requests from the families of those in the city.
A total of 62 students from the Free State are stranded in Hubei province. During a meeting with parents in Bloemfontein, Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela assured them the students – the majority of whom are on lockdown – were being taken care of, even though they were forced to stay in isolation.
Free State health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said the department was ready for the repatriated citizens heading for the province. He said his department would be central to the planning process, which included quarantine for about 21 days.
Earlier media reports indicated that the Tempe Army Base was being considered for the quarantine and although Ramaphosa did not confirm this, he indicated the departments of health and defence would deploy healthcare personnel and support staff to provide assistance during the processes.
OFM News was reliably informed that Black Mountain Hotel near Thaba Nchu, which has a landing strip 6.7km away, was one of the venues being scouted as a possible location for those repatriated to be placed for the planned 21-day quarantine period.
Black Mountain general manager Peter Leonard did not want to comment.
The presidency referred questions on the execution of the repatriation process to the national department of health.
The president also assured South Africans that none of those earmarked for repatriation had been diagnosed with the virus, nor had they exhibited any symptoms.
The latest media reports indicate that 2 744 people have died from the virus so far. – OFM News
reports that Saudi Arabia took the unprecedented step of temporarily banning foreign pilgrims heading for Mecca from entering the country after more than 330 cases were confirmed around the Middle East, most of them in Iran, and denied entry to non-religious travellers from countries where the virus has spread.
South African trainer Mike de Kock, who saddles the Uruguayan-bred filly Bella Fever in the $800 000 Samba Saudi Derby today, arrived safely in Riyadh from Dubai with his runner and support team earlier in the week.
Bella Fever was unbeaten in four starts in her native Uruguay before making history at Meydan recently when she became the first Uruguayan-bred to win in Dubai with victory in the $100 000 Meydan Classic Trial.
De Kock’s three-year-old will carry the top weight of 57.5kg over 1 800m on the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racetrack.
By yesterday morning, there had been no reported cases of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia.
Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairperson of the Jockey Club, secured the royal decree that allows in the racing connections.
South Africa’s Tellytrack (channel 239 on DStv) will broadcast today’s Riyadh card in full and TAB offers a full bouquet of betting options.
The first race gets off at 3pm SA time, while the final event, the Saudi Cup itself, starts at 7.40pm. The outbreak of the virus has had a damaging effect on racing globally and the Japan Racing Association has banned racegoers from attending meetings today. Racing in Hong Kong has been conducted before largely empty grandstands for the past two weeks.