The first case of the virus Covid-19 in South Africa has just been confirmed by the National Department of Health.
The patient is a 38-year-old man who traveled to Italy and returned to South Africa on March 1.
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FIRST CASE OF COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS REPORTED IN SA
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) March 5, 2020
Fellow South Africans
This morning, Thursday March 5, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases confirmed that a suspected case of COVID-19 has tested positive.#COVID19
Updates
14:17 – Aljazeera reported: The couple returned to South Africa on March 1 and the patient consulted a private practitioner two days later with symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, a sore throat and a cough. The patient has been in isolation since then as well as the doctor.
What are the next steps for South Africa?
Today at 14:00 Parliament will debate South Africa’s readiness to deal with #COVID-19 ##CoronaVirusSA #CoronaVirusUpdate @nicd_sa @GovernmentZA pic.twitter.com/0wR4thoFZS
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) March 5, 2020
14:25 – Parliament now debating over the coronavirus
14:35 – Department of Health make a statement on Twitter
FIRST CASE OF CORONAVIRUS
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) March 5, 2020
The patient consulted a private general practitioner on March 3, with symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, a sore throat and a cough. The practice nurse took swabs & delivered it to the lab.The patient has been self-isolating since March 3 #Coronvirus
