Soon, tests for Covid-19 – the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus – will be done at homes across the country.

Field workers will do the visits to do screenings, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday.

“In the coming days, government will be rolling out a screening, testing, tracing and medical management programme on a huge scale,” said Ramaphosa as the addressed the nation on Monday evening.

“Around 10,000 field workers will be visiting homes in villages, towns and cities to screen residents for Covid-19 symptoms.”

Details of when the roll-out will begin have not yet been provided.

Ramaphosa said people who present symptoms of the illness would be referred to local clinics or mobile clinics for testing.

“People who are infected with coronavirus but who have no or moderate symptoms will remain in isolation at home or at a facility provided by government. Those with severe symptoms will be transferred to hospitals,” said the president.

“Using mobile technology, an extensive tracing system will be rapidly deployed to trace those who have been in contact with confirmed coronavirus cases and to monitor the geographical location of new cases in real time.

“This drive is far-reaching, it is intensive and it is unprecedented in scale.”