Health minister, Zweli Mkhize, has reassured the Pietermaritzburg community that the coronavirus is manageable for those who may contract it.
Mkhize was engaging with the community after a couple from nearby Hilton was diagnosed with the virus. So far, three South Africans have tested positive.
The latest case is that of the wife of the man in Hilton, outside Pietermaritzburg whose case was the first to be confirmed in the country.
The couple’s two children were also tested and found to be negative, but they will remain in self-quarantine.
The man and his wife were part of a group of ten people who had travelled to Italy and returned to South Africa on March the first.
In the video below, Minister Mkhize addressed the community in Pietermaritzburg on their concerns on the virus:
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Mkhize says the first victim, who is receiving treatment at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, is recovering well. “I asked the doctor; how’s your patient, she said my patient is well and to be honest Dr. Mkhize if this patient was another patient I wouldn’t have kept him in hospital. He is too well now he must go home. But I’m just waiting for some tests but I’m not worried about him at all.”
Mkhize said in many cases the body can fight off the virus.
“We’ve looked at the studies, it is actually estimated that within five to six days, the virus will show the symptoms. The World Health Organization says most of the people in 14 days shed the virus off which means we’ll keep you for 14 days, after that your body will sort the virus out.
“It is a virus, it’s not the same as all the other bacteria, so it takes a while to deal with it but the body just has to deal with it itself. We also have learnt that this virus does not keep changing or mutating, so if you get an infection once it’s not likely that it’s going to come back because the virus has changed its appearance and therefore the body doesn’t recognise it.”
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