Covid scare at city port

THERE has been a Covid-19 scare at the Durban Harbour. A ship, understood to have 14 crew on board, reportedly arrived in Durban on Sunday.

It is believed some crew are Covid-19 positive. The ship is believed to have left India with a cargo of rice. The vessel and its members are in quarantine at the port.

On Tuesday, media reports alleged that some crew members were sick and that one died on the journey to Durban.

By the afternoon a high police presence could be seen around the port.

A port employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said from Sunday to Monday people were offloading the rice.

But this came to a sudden stop on Tuesday morning. “The people have been kept inside the vessel. People wearing white overalls from head to toe are going in with medical supplies.”

Another port employee said workers who assisted with offloading were tested and awaiting their results.

On Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said no traces of the Indian variant known as B.1.617 were found in the country.

Transnet Port Authority and the Health Department did not respond by the time of publication.