A contingency committee has been established at Stellenbosch University (SU) to put the necessary measures in place in case of a potential outbreak of COVID-19, confirmed Martin Viljoen, SU spokesperson.
The first case of COVID-19 in the Western Cape was confirmed by health minister, Zweli Mkhize, this morning.
“Our planning and our contingency plans are all based on the direction that we receive from the Western Cape Department of Health and also the National Department of Health. We are in constant communication with the departments,” said Stuart Grobbelaar, Stellenbosch municipality spokesperson.
The initial COVID-19 cases were established in KZN and Gauteng. These first cases were all linked to the group which returned after a vacation trip to Northern Italy. Following the first confirmed case of COVID-19 on 5 March, six new cases have since been confirmed.
In the meantime, dr Wolfgang Preiser, head of the Division of Medical Virology at SU, said people should not panic as the national systems for recognising and dealing with cases are in place and working.
“That said, things can go pear-shaped and chances are, they will at some stage. Panic is never good – wise preparedness is,” said Preiser.
When to seek medical attention
“If you have a fever and a cough, or similar signs and symptoms of a respiratory infection and, [more] importantly, have been to one of the affected areas or have been in contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, call your healthcare provider,” said Preiser.
“[Your healthcare provider] will liaise with NICD (National Institute for Communicable Diseases) and decide whether you need to be tested or not. It is best to stay where you are to avoid coming into contact with people, as much as possible,” Preiser said.
The head of Infectious Diseases at SU, dr Jantjie Taljaard, reaffirmed the need for calm, as there is no outbreak in South Africa yet.
“If no other cases are reported, it is safe. If individuals with the virus are admitted to Tygerberg [Hospital], they would be isolated completely and students would not be allowed near them,” Taljaard said.
Self-quarantine vs. self-isolation
It is also useful to be informed on the difference between terms such as self-quarantine and self-isolation, said Preiser.
Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick, whereas quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Self-isolation [is for] someone ill with the infectious disease, but not severely enough to warrant hospitalisation. [It] is likewise international best practice; this seems to be applied in the case of the infected traveler in KZN who returned from Italy. [Self-isolation] lessens the burden on the hospital system which is under stress anyway,” Preiser said.
According to Viljoen, the contingency committee will meet later today. MatieMedia will follow-up on further information regarding SU’s safety and health measures disclosed by the committee.
INFOGRAPHIC: Savannah Bacon and Michael Brown
-Nicole Nasson, Tyler Setzer, Lezanne Steenkamp, Jenna Lemmer and Fern Inman-Bamber
This article was updated at 13:02, on 12 March.