The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says South Africa remains vigilant following announcement of the first confirmed case of the coronavirus infection in Africa – with Egypt saying one person has the disease.
The Institute says case identification plays an important role in detecting the virus in South Africa with travellers being closely monitored.
The NICD recommends that persons returning to South Africa from mainland China self-isolate at the first onset of symptoms such as acute respiratory illness with fever, cough or shortness of breath.
The NICD’s Professor Cheryl Cohen says: “Egypt announced its first COVID-19 case on Friday, making it Africa’s first documented infection. This is not unexpected, and South Africa remains vigilant for cases of COVID-19. As of 15 February, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, has tested 82 individuals under investigation for COVID-19, and all results have come back negative.”
