For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Sane Dhlamini.

Making headlines: Mobile testing and sampling units for Covid-19 launched, Eskom to temporarily shut Koeberg Unit 2 and, Egypt's health sector races to scale up coronavirus readiness

Mobile testing and sampling units for Covid-19 launched

The Department of Health has stepped up capacity for testing across the country through the procurement of an additional 60 mobile sampling and testing units.

In line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement earlier this week, these units will be deployed nationwide to all districts and metropolitan municipalities, bringing the total number of countrywide mobile units to 67.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said this would increase the country’s capacity to conduct up to 30 000 tests within 24 hours.

Eskom to temporarily shut Koeberg Unit 2

From midnight on April 3, power utility Eskom will take Unit 2 of the Koeberg nuclear power station, in the Western Cape, offline.

The unit is scheduled to return to service by April 30, if it is not required before then.

Eskom has taken the decision to take certain generation units offline to protect the integrity of the national power network, amid low demand, as a result of the 21-day national lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Egypt's health sector races to scale up coronavirus readiness

Egypt has ramped up efforts to fight the coronavirus, ordering manufacturers to channel medical protective equipment to public hospitals.

The Egyptian government has also allocated 1-billion Egyptian pounds in extra funding for its health services.

The number of confirmed cases has risen steadily to 779, including 52 deaths.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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