COVID-19 Response
Information and updates about measures we’re taking to safeguard employees, help stakeholders stay informed and connected, support communities and other organizations, and more.

'We believe here healthy and content workers make a the most faithful work force'

We are taking action to support our employees and communities as the COVID-19 situation evolves. Our aim is to keep our operations running safely, and we are monitoring the situation closely.

The nature of our mine development projects is such that certain work cannot be done remotely, so our focus is on reducing the risk of the virus spreading to our projects. Operational continuity is critical for jobs, the communities around our operations, and the local economies. We will continue to adapt our response as this situation evolves, with our primary focus being the health and safety of our people.

The Trans Africa  team is comprised of an extraordinary group of people. I have absolute confidence that working together we will meet these challenges and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

Tackling Covid-19 in 2022
We have provided extensive support to local Government health facilities in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. This has included:

Donating over $850,000 of medical materials and supplies to the Government of Lualaba to prevent and protect against Covid-19 in the surrounding communities
installation of 35 hand-washing fountains
water supply for hand-washing
donation of a PCR testing laboratory
awareness campaigns on social distancing
distribution of masks in the communities.

In accordance with health guidelines from the DRC government, and in line with the country’s lifting of restrictions, Kamoa-Kakula’s Congolese workforce has gone back to normal work rotations. Rigorous testing, physical distancing, wearing face masks, frequent hand washing and contact-tracing measures are still in place to protect the safety and health of the workforce and community members. All expatriate employees are still required to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival at Kamoa-Kakula.
The project has established a COVID-19 isolation facility at the Kamoa camp. Potential symptomatic patients are moved to this facility, where they will be isolated, tested and treated. Once patients have recovered and are deemed no longer infectious, they can return to work only after an additional quarantine period determined by the project’s medical staff. As the pandemic evolves, the medical team at Kamoa-Kakula continues to review and update its risk mitigation protocols. The project’s preventative measures are at the highest international standards and, if there was a case internally, the risk of spreading or cross-contamination is considered to be very low.a

Following the guidelines outlined by the World Health Organization, while drawing on the experience of its China-based partners – CITIC Metal and Zijin Mining – Ivanhoe established a task team from senior management with overall responsibility for COVID-19 response planning and well before the situation was declared a pandemic.

Dr. Nicolette Du Plessis
The team is led by Dr. Nicolette Du Plessis, a specialist in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and a Professor at the University of Pretoria, and includes specialist doctors, paramedics, nurses, as well as counsel from several external, world-leading epidemiologists. Dr. Du Plessis is president of the Southern African Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and president-elect of the Federation of Infectious Diseases Societies of Southern Africa.

The task team, together with its 16-strong and expanding, on-site Trans African  Projects continent wide in  medical response team (pictured below) and its medical service provider, Medical Support Solutions of the United Kingdom, has access to some of the best advice from medical experts from around the globe and has implemented key procedures across the business to ensure minimal disruption to its operations.

At the Trans African Containers  the company has implemented strict isolation procedures in the event of higher risk personnel or potential COVID-19 cases. Ten intensive care units, each equipped with a ventilator, and 20 high-care units will be available to treat potential patients, in addition to a quarantine facility for up to 60 potential patients.

The company already has procured abundant critical protective supplies for its mine site medical professionals, including surgical gloves and N95 face masks. In addition, all Trans African Containers shareholders  have  assisted with the procurement of a very substantial number of coronavirus diagnostic test kits. The company will distribute the test kits to its projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Africa to enforce its health and safety protocols during the pandemic and to ensure business continuity at all investments and  projects.

In addition, the company is working closely with its host governments, which have acted swiftly and decisively in legislating measures to curb the spread of the disease. Together with the DRC and South African Ministries of Health, the company is sourcing a number of early-stage treatments that could potentially prevent a country-wide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.

Trans Africa Container Mining  new ICU ward that was constructed to treat potential COVID-19 patients. To date, there have been no cases of COVID-19 at Kamoa-Kakula or in the DRC’s Lualaba Province, where Kamoa-Kakula is located.
Staying Informed
Ivanhoe has been updating its employees and stakeholders on the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since well before it was declared a pandemic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

 

Dr. Nicolette Du Plessis

Dr. Nicolette Du Plessis

Stay Informed

What are common symptoms?

Respiratory symptoms
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath
Breathing difficulties
How can I prevent infection

Regular hand washing
Covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing
Thoroughly cooking meat and eggs
Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness
How does COVID-19 spread?

Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet)
Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs

SOURCE: World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention