The North West health department has taken a decision to place all confirmed Covid-19 patients and their contacts under its supervision after a patient could not be found at home.

The patient, from Bloemhof, was tracked down to a farm in Welkom in the Free State, the department said in a statement.

Madoda Sambatha, health MEC, said the patient was immediately placed under the care of the department. The North West province has 11 confirmed cases. No deaths have been recorded in the province.

“The person is now under the care of the department.

“We should all the time know where Covid-19 positive people and their contacts are to prevent further spread. That way, we will be able to monitor their prognosis and make appropriate decisions,” Sambatha said.

Sambatha, along with agriculture MEC Desbo Mohono, inspected two mine hospitals in Matlosana area for their readiness to receive state patients.

The two hospitals, Westvaal in Orkney and Duff Scott in Stillfontein, have been earmarked as overflow facilities should Klerksdorp Hospital be overwhelmed. This is to ensure that health service delivery in the area is not compromised.

Klerksdorp Hospital is the only designated Covid-19 hospital in the North West.

“We have done an inspection on additional bed capacity. In the programme of fighting Covid-19, each province has to have additional bed capacity in case our facilities were to be overwhelmed like what is happening in affected countries globally.

“The facilities we inspected are ready to be accessed and utilised should the need arise. We are looking for another facility, this time in Bojanala Platinum District where most positive cases for Covid-19 have been confirmed thus far,’’ Sambatha said.