Health Minister Dr Zweli Mhize has announced that six new cases of coronavirus had been confirmed. The Citizen reports that the new cases raise the total number of COVID-19-positive patients in South Africa to 13 after six new cases were confirmed in the past week. One patient has reportedly already recovered from the original seven.
Mkhize said there were four cases confirmed in Gauteng, one in KwaZulu-Natal case and one in the Western Cape.
A 33-year-old female who had travelled to Italy and returned on 1 March.
A couple, 34-year-old male and 33-year-old female, who had travelled to Germany. They returned to South Africa on 9 March.
A 57-year-old male who travelled to Austria and Italy. He returned to South Africa on 9 March.
A 40-year-old male who travelled to Portugal. He returned on 7 March.
A 36-year-old male who travelled to multiple countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Turkey. He returned to South Africa on 9 March.
“All the patients have now been advised. Those who are symptomatic have started receiving treatment. Some of these patients are already in hospital while some, specifically those who are asymptomatic, are in self-quarantine. Contact tracing has also started for all these cases,” the minister said.
At least 3,642 tests have been conducted for the virus.
The Health Department has clarified that people travelling from China, but not from Wuhan city or Hubei province, are allowed into South Africa. Ministry spokesperson Dr Lwazi Manzi is quoted in The Times as saying people from other parts of China “have a far lower risk of acquiring COVID-19 than those in Wuhan city or Hubei province.
Manzi said these people were screened for the coronavirus when they left China and again when they arrived in South Africa. “These travellers do not need to be placed under quarantine when they return to South Africa and no-one should be pressurised to self-quarantine when they return home,” she said.
[link url="https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/breaking-news/2253280/sas-coronavirus-tally-rises-to-13-with-six-new-cases-added/"]Full report in The Citizen[/link]
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-03-10-coronavirus-travellers-from-china-welcome-in-sa-says-health-ministry/"]Full report in The Times[/link]