Cape Town - As the province battles the Covid-19 resurgence in the context of the new Omicron variant, a scare at the provincial department of Cultural Affairs and Sport saw the head office at the Protea Assurance building in Greenmarket Square closed for a deep cleanse.
Department spokesperson Tania Colyn said a report was made to the department’s Covid-19 compliance officer on Monday that a staff member, who had last physically been in the head office building the previous Wednesday, had tested positive.
She said the staff member has their own office, which they occupy alone and this office was locked with no access to anyone except the relevant staff member.
“As per the Covid-19 protocols, the positive test result was reported to the Health and Labour departments and the person was asked to list all close contacts. Those contacts were informed to self-isolate with immediate effect.
“Due to the fact that there was no access to the staff member’s office, and because they hadn’t physically been into the office for four days prior to their positive test result being reported to the compliance officer, the cleaning team was asked to clean the common areas on the relevant floor as a safety measure."
Colyn said that as a further precaution, the head office was subsequently closed on Wednesday this week 1 for a deep cleaning.
On Thursday, provincial department of Transport and Public Works spokesperson Jandré Bakker said the department’s trained cleaning team had just been dispatched to disinfect and sanitise the affected area.
“It should be noted that the request was only received once a case was confirmed as there is no legislated directive on suspected incidents, only of confirmed cases.
“The cleaning protocols as issued by the department of Public Service Administration are followed, together with the province’s protocols.
"It is important to note that these protocols have been adjusted and no longer require entire floors or buildings to be closed, but speaks to the direct workstation of a confirmed case.”