SA’s ports on high alert for Covid-19

South Africa’s teams remain on high alert to survey, detect and contain the spread of Covid-19 in general, with heightened awareness of travellers from countries where variants of concern are dominating.

“We confirm that the B.1.617 variant, circulating widely in India, has not been detected; however, the genomics teams are working on some samples and we will need to allow the time it takes to sequence before we get an answer,” said Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday.

Recently increasing activities have been reported as follow:

Durban

Three air travellers arrived from India, via Doha, on two separate occasions (one arrived on 21 April on Qatar Airlines and two arrived on 25 April on Qatar Airlines) – all through King Shaka International Airport.

“The first passenger subsequently took ill and remains in isolation at a healthcare facility, while the other two passengers are asymptomatic and in isolation at paid lodgings,” said Mkhize.

On 1 May, a death on board an approaching vessel was reported to Port Health by the South African Police Service, the assistant harbour master and the vessel agent. The vessel had departed India on 18 April and berthed at Maydon Wharf on 2 May with the deceased.

The body was subsequently transported to a state mortuary for a post-mortem. Due to sampling difficulties, authorities still await the Covid test result.

“However, contact tracing proceeded for 21 crew members. Of these, 14 have been detected with Covid-19 and seven have tested negative,” the minister said.

Gqeberha

On 25 April, a vessel that had departed from Mombasa, Kenya, berthed in Gqeberha some 12 days after departure.

“The ship was granted access based on a report by the shipmaster that there were no reported illnesses on board. The following day, the shipmaster reported an ill crew member, who was immediately transferred out of the ship to a healthcare facility.

“The ill crew member, together with three other crew members who were due to depart by air to their home country, were immediately subjected to Covid tests on 26 April,” the minister said.

Upon testing positive for Covid-19, these crew members were isolated at paid lodgings.

Port Health, together with Transnet National Port Authority, instructed the shipping agency to proceed with contact tracing and testing processes, with 20 crew members on board subjected to Covid-19 tests.

A further 10 crew members have been detected with Covid-19 and are isolating for 10 days.