At least 16 police stations have shut their doors since Monday as Covid-19 rages through the country.

According to police statements since Monday, the police stations, branches and community centres were forced to temporarily close after at least 18 members tested positive for Covid-19.

The following stations have been affected:

• The police station in Bethulie has been closed again after another member tested positive. This after it was closed on June 13;
• Bedfordview police station has been temporarily closed after a member tested positive for Covid-19;
• Middelburg detective branch has been temporarily closed after a member tested positive;
• Charles Cilliers police station has advised that it has been temporarily closed after one of its members, at the Community Service Centre, tested positive;
• Klerksdorp police station is closed due a member testing positive;
• Florida police station  has been temporarily closed for decontamination after a member tested positive;
• Diepsloot police station has been temporarily closed after one of its members tested positive;
• Parkweg and Zamdela SAPS is temporarily closed due to cases related to Covid-19  (unspecified number);
• Wierdabrug police station has been temporarily closed for decontamination after a member tested positive;
• Rustenburg police station is closed after one of its members tested positive;
• Kimberley police station had to be closed for decontamination after members attached to the 10111 centre tested positive  (unspecified number);
• Kroonstad SAPS has been temporarily closed after one member tested positive;
• Allanridge SAPS has been temporarily closed after one member tested positive for Covid 19;                      
• Three more members tested positive at Mangaung SAPS, which led to the police station being closed again.

The farmers' hall in Nottingham Road in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands was being used as a temporary police station on Wednesday after two officers tested positive for Covid-19.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Brig Jay Naicker said the two officers tested positive on Tuesday.

Naicker said: "The station is closed for decontamination and officers who came into contact with the affected officers have been directed to undergo testing as a precaution. Police vehicles are at the entrance of the police station to direct the community to the Farmers Hall that will be used as a temporary community service centre.

"The hall is on the R103 in Nottingham Road. Station commander Capt van der Schyff may be contacted on 082 418 2162."

Nine Covid-19 cases were confirmed at Westville SAPS's detective section on Thursday. The affected section was closed for decontamination, as per SAPS protocols. The station was reopened on Monday and all officials who were exposed to the police officers were directed to undergo screening and testing as a precaution.

The Inanda police station was operating as normal. There had been reports of a positive case at the station, but Naicker said there was no case of infection at the Inanda station.