Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Keep up to date with everything you need to know about preventing the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
We will keep you informed and updated, as and when new information is available. Look out for regular communication from us or follow our social media pages for the latest information.
Stay Updated
If you’re worried about being infected locally or through interaction with someone who has just returned to South Africa – stay on track with news of the disease with live updates on the site below.
What you need to understand
COVID-19 spreads person-to-person.
The Novel Coronavirus spreads between people in any one of the following ways:
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Spread from contact with infected surfaces or objects; It may be possible that a person can contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, which land in the mouths or noses of surrounding people and are inhaled into their lungs.
- People are considered to be most contagious when they are the sickest or when the symptoms are most advanced.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19 infection?
The primary symptoms include the sudden onset of the following:
- Fever
- Dry Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
How can I help protect myself?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. Everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, includes:
- wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- avoid close contact with people who are sick stay home when you are sick
- cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.
What does this mean for Affinity Health members?
If you suspect that you may have come into contact with the Coronavirus, the following information is important to note:
- Please do not rush to your nearest hospital, you need to remain calm and stay indoors and isolated.
- A health care worker will visit you in your home to collect a specimen and to complete the required documentation.
- If a healthcare worker is not available, you can request whether a self-testing kit is available from your nearest laboratory or contact your local GP telephonically for advice.
- Avoid unnecessary social contact.
- Avoid travel.
- Remain reachable for monitoring.
If you are in the situation where you feel you may have been exposed to the virus (according to the criteria as set out by the Department of Health), please respond by letting us know which province you are in and we will send you the relevant contact details or you can contact the Department of Health Coronavirus Outbreak Hotline on 0800 029 999.
Affinity Health will cover the following for confirmed cases of COVID-19:
- Diagnostic testing.
- Consultations with healthcare professionals.
- Supportive care and treatment according to the Affinity Health benefit protocols.
Should you require hospitalisation, please contact us immediately to direct you to the closest isolation facility.
We have listed some important contact information below should you require any further information:
| Institution/Province: | Name: | Email address: | Contact details |
| Communicable Disease Control | Tsakani Furumele | Tsakani.Furumele@health.gov.za | 012 395 8096 / 0824199686 |
| Malaria, Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases | Devanand Moonasar | Patric.Moonasar@health.gov.za | 0825783107 |
| Wayne Ramkrishna | Wayne.Ramkrishna@health.gov.za | 0823174687 | |
| Port Health | Funeka Bongweni | Funeka.Bongweni@health.gov.za | 012 395 9728 / 0609930107 |
| Environmental Health | Murdock Ramathuba | Murdock.Ramathuba@health.gov.za | 012 395 8518 / 0814150093 |
| Emergency Medical Services | Raveen Naidoo | Raveen.Naidoo@health.gov.za | 12395821 |
| Ahmed Bham | Ahmed.Bham@health.gov.za | 012 395 9636 / 0735716392 | |
| Hospital Services | Keneilwe Modise | Keneilwe.Modise@health.gov.za | 012 395 8257 / 0829648888 |
| Infection Prevention & Control | Ronel Steinhobel | Ronel.Steinhobel@health.gov.za | 012 395 9198 / 0836275661 |
| Provincial Communicable Disease Control Directorate | |||
| Eastern Cape | Thomas Dlamini | thomas.dlamini@echealth.gov.za | 0833780189 |
| Nosimphiwo Mgobo | Nosiphiwo.Mgobo@echealth.gov.za | 0605799027 | |
| Free State | Dikeledi Baleni | balenid@fshealth.gov.za | 0837578217 |
| Babsy Nyokong | nyokongb@fshealth.gov.za | 0824637499 | |
| Gauteng | Chika Asomugha | Chika.Asomugha@gauteng.gov.za | 0823301490 |
| Caroline Kesebilwe | Caroline.kesebilwe@gauteng.gov.za | 0834908165 | |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Premi Govender | premi.govender@kznhealth.gov.za | 0716092505 |
| Limpopo | Marlene Freda Ngobeni | Marlene.Ngobeni@dhsd.limpopo.gov.za | 0794911909 |
| Mashudu P. Mudau | Prudance.Mudau@dhsd.limpopo.gov.za | 0716783864 | |
| Mpumalanga | Mandla Zwane | MandlaZw@mpuhealth.gov.za | 0822298893 |
| Hluphi Mpangane | hluphim@mpuhealth.gov.za | 076 522 8511 / 013 766 3411 | |
| North West | Chriseldah Lebeko | clebeko@nwpg.gov.za | 0824217985 |
| Northern Cape | Gloria Hottie | hottieg@webmail.co.za | 072 391 3345 / 053 830 0529 |
| Western Cape | Charlene Jacobs | Charlene.Jacobs@westerncape.gov.za | 072 356 5146 / 021 483 9964 |
| Port Health and Environmental Health | |||
| Central Region (Gauteng, Free-State, Northern Cape) | Funeka Bongweni | Funeka.Bongweni@health.gov.za | 0123959728 |
| 0609930107 | |||
| Northern Region (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West) | Ockert Jacobs | Ockert.Jacobs@health.gov.za | 0123959417 |
| 0823720556 | |||
| Coastal Region (KwaZulu Natal, Northern Cape, Western Cape) | Antoinette Hargreaves | Antoinette.Hargreaves@health.gov.za | 0313010381 |
| 0834600935 | |||
| Emergency Medical Services (EMS) | |||
| National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) | |||
| Hotline (24-hours) | |||
| Outbreak Response Unit | Ann Mathews | annm@nicd.ac.za | 0660463581 |
| Laboratory | Jacqueline Weyer | jacquelinew@nicd.ac.za | 0829039131 |
| Kerrigan McCarthy | |||
| Designated Hospitals |
| Eastern Cape: |
| Livingstone Hospital in Nelson Mandela Bay |
| Western Cape: |
| Tygerberg Hospital |
| Gauteng: |
| Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital |
| Steve Biko Academic Hospital |
| KwaZulu-Natal |
| Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg |
| Limpopo |
| Polokwane Hospital |
| Mpumalanga |
| Rob Ferreira Hospital in Mbombela |
| Free State |
| Pelonomi Academic Hospital in Bloemfontein |
| North West |
| Klerksdorp Hospital |
| Northern Cape |
| Kimberly Hospital |
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