Positive case prompts estate shutdown
Popular televangelists and prophets as well as a TV personality and socialite survived a coronavirus scare this week.
This comes after it was discovered that the Waterfall Country Estate, in which they were housed, reported a case of coronavirus.
The affluent estate, known to be frequented by high fliers and politicians, was on lockdown on Tuesday.
Estate manager Grant Poole informed all residents that the estate had recorded a case of Covid-19, which has prompted South Africans to go on a panic- buying spree over the past few weeks in preparation for a possible worst-case scenario.
In the letter dated March 17, Poole urged all residents to get tested before moving out of the estate. He indicated that it was found that a resident who had travelled to Europe had tested positive for the virus.
The telly star indirectly confirmed the matter when she tweeted on Friday that she had been in self-isolation for four days.
“Guys, I’m so bored. And it’s only day 4! Tjooooo….#StaySafe- Home,” she tweeted.
Poole said the resident’s spouse had visited the estate’s gym and clubhouse, and had used the services of a personal trainer. He said the couple, including the personal trainers,
have since been advised to remain in self-isolation to protect other residents from possible infection.
“It has come to our attention that a resident living within [the] Waterfall Country Estate has tested positive for the coronavirus [Covid-19]. This resident has recently returned to South Africa from Europe,” reads the communique to the residents.
“The resident is currently in self-isolation and his family members have undergone testing for the virus. While the family awaits the results, they remain in self-isolation.
“We await confirmation that the resident has also followed the required process of alerting the relevant authorities.”
Another resident confirmed that the estate was on lockdown on Tuesday and said medical
practitioners were dispatched to conduct tests to ensure the residents were not infected.
“Fortunately, my family and I tested negative,” said the resident, who wanted to remain
anonymous.
Sunday World has established that the televangelists were in the country estate at the time of the reported case, and a source who is also a resident, said the two pastors’ homes were also visited by the medical practitioners.
Nicole Allman of INK & CO PR, on behalf of Waterfall Country Estate said following the initial resident communication that was shared on 17 March, a second resident communication was shared on the same day that provided further clarity about the coronavirus case at the estate.
“We would like to clarify, following our initial statement, that neither the infected resident, nor his spouse has had any contact with any personal trainer at the gym in the clubhouse. However, the spouse of this resident did have contact with the spouse of one of the personal trainers of the clubhouse gym, where they recently met up at Taste restaurant. “We feel that the precautionary measures already set out, and implemented, remain necessary and will continue as communicated. However, it is important to note that the infected resident has not visited the gym in the clubhouse, or any other facilities within the clubhouse following his return from overseas, neither has any family member of the infected resident accessed the gym or kiddies play area.”
