Staff Reporter
The Free State provincial police headquarters in Bloemfontein has been closed to allow for decontamination after one official tested positive for the dreaded COVID-19.
“Please be informed that Metpol Building at 126 Charlotte Maxeke Street in Bloemfontein housing SAPS Head Office personnel will be temporarily closed for decontamination,” said provincial police spokesperson Sam Makhele in a statement, adding this follows the detection of a positive COVID-19 case.
Makhele said all staff housed at the Metpol Building will be working remotely while the building is being decontaminated.
“The building will probably be reopened again for services on Monday, 13 July,” he said.
The building becomes the 12th police establishment in the Free State to be temporarily closed for COVID-19 decontamination this week as the spread of the disease in the country is said to be approaching its peak.
This afternoon, the police announced Viljoensdrif police station has been closed after a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Earlier today, Batho police station in Bloemfontein and Theunissen police station in northern Free State had been closed after confirmed cases of the coronavirus were reported.
Yesterday, Vredefort police station was also closed as well as Deneysville, Trompsburg, Bethlehem and Sasolburg police stations to allow for disinfection.
On Tuesday, the bug forced Bainsvlei police station and the Park Road Detectives offices at the ABSA Building in the Bloemfontein CBD to close.
Harrismith police station in eastern Free State was also closed on Monday after another COVID-19 case was reported.
The Free State now has a total of 3 034 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 565 recoveries and 19 deaths recorded.
Mangaung remains the epicentre of the province with 999 cases.
Lejweleputswa district has the second highest number of cases at 690, followed by Fezile Dabi district with 648.
Thabo Mofutsanyana district has 394 cases and Xhariep 204.