Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize confirmed the first case of coronavirus in South Africa. A man and his wife returned home from a trip to Italy on 1 March 2020, after which he consulted a private general practitioner.
The 38-year-old man had symptoms of a fever, headache, malaise, a sore throat and a cough. The practice nurse took swabs and delivered them to the lab.
This morning, Thursday 5 March, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed that a suspected case of COVID-19 has tested positive.
The couple had been on a 10-day trip in Italy. According to Mkhize, the patient has been self-isolating since 3 March. The couple have two children.
The Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) has identified the contacts by interviewing the patient and doctor. The tracer team has been deployed to KwaZulu-Natal with epidemiologists and clinicians from NICD. The doctor has self-isolated as well.
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