Only 1 Covid-19 death, not 2 - Mkhize

FILE PHOTO Jairus Mmutle/GCIS

FILE PHOTO Jairus Mmutle/GCIS

Published Mar 28, 2020

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CAPE TOWN - Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize says that there is only one official death from the Covid-19 virus and not two as previously announced.

In statement late on Friday, Mkhize said that tests showed that the second patient had not contracted the Covid-19 virus.

"This morning we reported that two deaths had occurred as a result of the COVID-19 virus. The first patient was a 48 year old female who tested positive for COVID-19 on the 23rd March 2020. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism. This means she had an underlying disease," said Mkhize.

He said the second patient who died was a suspected case based on her clinical presentation.

"The clinicians who were treating her have reported to us that this was a 28 year old female who had presented at the hospital in respiratory distress. At the time of presentation she was hypoxic. She was intubated and transferred to hospital during the early hours of this morning (Friday)," said Mkhize.

On arrival at ICU, she was declared dead and the clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19. A test was conducted and were confirmed negative.

"Her immediate family was also tested and they are also negative. She is therefore no longer considered a COVID-19 case. This therefore means there is only one confirmed death caused by COVID-19 in South Africa," said Mkhize.

Infections in South Africa continue to rise with latest figures showing a rise of 243 cases, bringing the total number of people to 1170.

CORONAVIRUS MONITOR

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