With over 90 000 people around the globe infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and over 3 000 deaths, it seems the dreaded coronavirus has finally hit South Africa.
This follows a statement released by Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, which states the National Institute for Communicable Diseases has confirmed that South Africa’s first suspected case of Covid-19 has tested positive.
While it is still uncertain at which port of entry the patient entered the country, Mkhize says a tracer team has been deployed to KZN and the man is currently in self-isolation.
According to Mkhize’s statement, the 38-year-old man recently travelled to Italy with his wife. They were apparently part of a group of 10 people.
The couple returned to South Africa on March 1, with the man visiting a private general practitioner on March 3, after he started displaying symptoms of fever, a headache, a sore throat, cough and sickness.
After taking swabs, the practice nurse delivered it to the laboratory to determine the cause of his illness. He has been in self-isolation ever since. In order to minimise the spread of the disease, the doctor has also been self-isolated.
While the patient and the doctor are both in self-isolation, in his statement, Mkhize explains the Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) has identified the contacts by interviewing the patient and doctor.
The tracer teams are being now deployed to KwaZulu-Natal, along with epidemiologists and clinicians from the NICD.
The public is encouraged to refrain from panicking and to visit their local medical facilities if they develop any flu-like symptoms.
