The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced that South Africa has recorded the second death resulting from Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“It is with sadness that we announce the second death of a patient, who had tested positive for COVID-19. The 74-year-old male had been in ICU and ventilation in a private hospital in Ladysmith.
“He had travelled to Kruger National Park with his family and came back with flu-like symptoms. He was confirmed to be COVID-19 positive on 27 March 2020.
“It has been reported to us that the deceased patient had an underlying skin cancer condition (melanoma), which had already complicated. He presented with the following symptoms: respiratory distress, shortness of breath, cardiac failure, decreased saturation and his temperature was above 38 degrees,” said Mkhize on Sunday.
The deceased’s family, 14 health workers, including three specialist doctors, who were in contact with him are now in quarantine and are being monitored.
“We express our condolences to the family and we thank the doctors and health workers who looked after the deceased patient until his time of passing,” said Mkhize.
The Minister said the country now has 1 280 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
This is an increase of 93 from the previously reported cases on 28 March.
The provincial breakdown is as follows:
Gauteng 584
Western Cape 310
KwaZulu-Natal 167
Free State 72
North West 6
Mpumalanga 11
Limpopo 12
Eastern Cape 12
Northern Cape 6
Unallocated 100
- SAnews.gov.za
