The Health Ministry in eSwatini says the country has registered its first suspected case of the deadly coronavirus.

The case was identified on Friday in someone who had recently arrived in South Africa from China and entered the Kingdom on February 6th.

Over 1500 people have died from the virus in China where there were 42 708 cases, which originated in Wuhan city outside of China, with 25 nations confirming a total of 191 cases.

Director of Health Services in eSwatini, Dr. Vusi Magagula says the person has been placed in quarantine and blood samples have been taken for further analysis.

“She presented with a fever and was at the hospital then the rapid response team took over and took up the case. She came through the Ngwenya Port of Entry on February 6 having arrived from the Republic of South Africa. I don’t think she was presenting with any symptoms, we only picked her up on the 14th because she was already now in hospital, ill and had to be admitted to the isolation ward. So I guess when she passed through OR or even through Ngwenya border post she didn’t have the symptoms.”

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Lin Songtian, has advised South African nationals to stay in China rather than return home as the spread of the coronavirus continues.

Songtian briefed the media in Cape Town on efforts to combat the spread of the deadly virus.

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