South Africa reports second coronavirus case

South Africa on Saturday confirmed a second case of the novel coronavirus, a 39-year-old woman who had travelled to Italy as part of a group with the first confirmed case.

The South African authorities said the woman had come into direct contact with the first case when they travelled back in a group of 10 from Italy on March 1.

On Thursday, the authorities said a man who was part of that group was the first case in the country.

“The second patient who has now tested positive for COV-19 will now be immediately admitted to a public health facility… that the government has identified as one of the hospitals that are ready to receive COVID-19 positive patients,” the health ministry said in a statement.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize told national broadcaster SABC that the patient was being isolated at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg.

The ministry assured the public it had managed to secure information on the whereabouts of everyone in the group that had travelled to Italy.

It also confirmed that a 39-year-old South African man working in Daegu, South Korea, has also tested positive for COVID-19.

Authorities said the man, who was due to return to South Africa, would remain where he was until details of his treatment in South Korea were verified.

The African continent now has more than 30 confirmed cases, including in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.

South Africa is preparing to repatriate 184 citizens — comprising students, teachers and other professionals working in Wuhan, China, where the virus erupted.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africans not to panic but also cautioned about the outbreak’s potential impact on the struggling economy.

South Africa is already dogged by high and rising debt, low growth and soaring unemployment.

Economist and Stellenbosch University researcher Anje Smith said that while two contained cases of coronavirus would not have major implications on the vulnerable economy, the situation is “a very bad perfect storm of negative local and international events”.

“It is unlikely at this stage that our economy will be able to successfully ride the energy crisis, economic downturns expected from the coronavirus and general investor uncertainty,” Smith said.