Health Minister Zweli Mhize has announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in South Africa. The patient is said to be a 38-year-old male who travelled to Italy with his wife. They were part of a group of 10 people and who arrived back in South Africa on 1st March.

“The patient consulted a private general practitioner on 3 March with symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, a sore throat and a cough. The practice nurse then took swabs and delivered it to the laboratory. The patient has been self-isolating since 3 March,” he said in a statement.

The couple also has two children.

Mhkize said 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 been self-isolated as well.

A press briefing will be held later this evening to shed more light on the issue.