National police commissioner General Khehla Sitole said 12 police officers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

He however revealed that the officers were receiving care and support. He said:

“We are looking after them. As and when that occurs, we then give them the necessary attention. So the 12 that I was referring to, are part and parcel of our own testing processes that take place.”

Sitole declined to give any information about which provinces the police officers were based in. He also refused to state if the infections happened while on duty.

“What is important to us is that we take care of our members. We make sure they receive the necessary care and treatment,” he said.

This came as Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the COVID-19 death toll rose to 24, with the number of cases at 2 003. Mkhize said deaths had only happened in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Gauteng and the Free State.

The youngest COVID-19 victim was 41, Mkhize said. He noted that the majority of deaths were people with pre-existing ailments, and the real cause of death may have been that pre-existing condition, News24 reported.