The South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID) announced on Thursday the first confirmed case of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to make its way to South Africa after a 38-year old KwaZulu-Natal man tested positive for the disease.
He was part of a 10-person convoy which travelled back to SA from Italy on 1 March.
The South African government released a statement from health minister Zweli Mkhize on Thursday confirming the first reported case after the man reportedly started feeling ill.
“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,” he said.
“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 and delivered it to the lab.”
A tracer team of epidemiologists and clinicians from the NICD have since been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal to assist doctors and medical practitioners in the region.
The man travelled to Italy with his wife, however, it is still unknown whether or not she has also been infected by the disease.
The statement concluded by saying that a press briefing will be held on the matter following the parliamentary debate this evening. – Bjorn Vorster
