The Gauteng Department of Health has urged people to stop visiting their loved ones in the province's hospitals, reiterating that visiting hours have been suspended amid the nationwide lockdown due to the novel coronavirus.

The department said it "noted with concern that people continue to visit public hospitals in numbers to see their loved ones despite the lockdown period announced by the president last week".

Health department spokesperson Kwara Kekana said: "We wish to inform the public that visiting times as of Thursday, 26 March have been cancelled at all Gauteng public hospitals for the duration of the lockdown period.

"Additional to the measure above, the only patients that will be allowed at hospitals during this period are those who present with an emergency, surgical out-patients, pregnant women and medical out-patients who are booked for collecting medication.

"Furthermore, discretion will be used for those collecting their results (e.g cancer); however, if an issue can wait, kindly stay at home."

Kekana said everyone will be expected to be sanitised when entering health department premises and everyone will be screened for Covid-19, the condition cause by the virus.

"Depending on the outcomes of the screening, patients will be directed accordingly to triage points set up in our facilities," Kekana added.

"Lastly, anyone with respiratory symptoms will be provided with a mask.

"We urge the community to be cooperative and work with hospital management during this difficult period and to adhere to the measures."