SA clinic closed after nurse catches coronavirus

A clinic in South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, has been closed after a nurse tested positive for coronavirus.

It is thought the health worker contracted the virus after attending a church service in another province last month.

All staff members who worked with the nurse are now in self-isolation. It is understood some of them are already showing coronavirus-related symptoms and are awaiting test results.

Tracers are looking for people who may have come into contact with the nurse who worked at the maternity section of the clinic.

More than 60 people who attended the same church service as the nurse have tested positive for the virus.

One, an elderly pastor, died from coronavirus-related complications.

South Africa’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has raised concerns about increasing numbers of local transmissions in the country.

The country has stepped up the response to the pandemic - putting in place nationwide door to door testing efforts.

Community healthcare workers with mobile testing units capable of processing 5,000 samples a day have been deployed across the country.