Four officials of the South African National Defence Force(SANDF) have tested positive for Covid-19. This was confirmed by SANDF on Wednesday, however none of them had beendeployed to assist during the nationwide lockdown.
According to the surgeon general of the SANDF Lieutenant General Zola Dabula three of the cases were detected in the Western Cape and the fourth was in Gauteng. The infected people would be treated and managed as per the prescribed Covid-19 protocol.
Meanwhile the SANDF has identified quarantine and isolation facilities for the military community in preparation for anticipated overflow at military hospitals and sick bays.
“Frontline workers such as emergency medical teams, nurses, doctors, porters including soldiers patrolling the townships have been issued with personal protective equipment. These facilities are Department of Defence establishments with accommodation capacity in all provinces,” said surgeon general Dabula.
He added that other preventative measures include thermal screening, hand sanitising and wearing of surgical masks by Department of Defence personnel.
Surgeon general Dabula concluded and emphasised that the “military community is part of the broader South African population, thus the SANDF is not immune from the spread of the coronavirus,” concluded Surgeon general Dabula.
