First Case Of Coronavirus Recorded In Western Cape

JOHANNESBURG – The Western Cape has become the third province to record a coronavirus case in South Africa.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday morning confirmed there were now 13 confirmed cases.

This comes after six more people tested positive for COVID-19, four of them are in Gauteng, one in KwaZulu-Natal and one in the Western Cape.

The Western Cape case is a 36-year-old male who had travelled to multiple countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Turkey. He returned to South Africa on 9 March 2020.

Eyewitness News understands a team of medical experts is at the location where the case was identified.

The patient has self quarantined.

Infectious diseases physician at Tygerberg Hospital Dr Jantjie Taljaard said they were ready to deal with any cases.

Taljaard said a ward would immediately be prepared and doctors would be instructed to gather test kits to wait for the patient to arrive at the isolation unit.

“There are two lifts. One lift will be for a person coming in with a potential infection and we have a key for that. The key will be given to EMS.”

EWN