HEALTH

AngloGold confirms 164 coronavirus cases

The Gauteng Department of Health on Sunday confirmed that 53 employees at AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng mine in the Merafong district have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to the latest update on the company’s website, the number of positive cases has now been confirmed as 164, of which the vast majority are asymptomatic.

All positive cases will be isolated in line with national health protocols, with on-site facilities available for those who may need them. Mponeng uses electronic tracking of all people underground as a safety tool in the event missing miners have to be located. This system has been useful in quickly locating primary, or close contacts.

The management of the mine has indicated that the underground production will remain closed until further notice, the department said.

MEC Bandile Masuku and the Gauteng health team will meet with the mine management on Sunday afternoon to receive a report. Additionally, a meeting is arranged between the West Rand District Health team and the mine team for Monday for further engagement and collective intervention.

Limited mining activities restarted in the country about a month ago.

In terms of lockdown regulations, employers are required to provide a workplace risk assessment plan that should include the provision of screening and testing facilities, sanitary and social distancing measures and measures to protect vulnerable employees.

Recently, Impala Platinum revealed that about 19 cases of Covid-19 had been detected at its Marula mine in Limpopo. The workers were asymptomatic, highlighting the challenges of both monitoring and preventing new infections in confined underground mining, Fin24 reported.

AngloGold Ashanti operates the Obuasi and Iduapreim mines in Ghana.

 

Source: fin24.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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