South African health minister, wife test COVID-19 positive
South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize is in isolation at home and his wife is in hospital after they tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement.
The minister has said that those who have come in close contact with him and his wife get themselves tested and go into quarantine.
“We decided to go for a test yesterday when I started showing mild symptoms. I was feeling abnormally exhausted and as the day progressed, I started losing appetite,” Mkhize said in the statement.
“My wife had a cough, was dizzy and extremely exhausted. Given her symptoms, the doctors advised that she must be admitted for observation and rehydration,” he said.
Mkhize is a qualified medical practitioner who has been at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am now in quarantine at home and both my wife and I remain optimistic that we will fully recover from this virus. Our close contacts in the past week have been a few of our family members and some of my Health Ministry team. We have informed them and advised them to immediately isolate in their homes and be tested,” the minister said.
Earlier in the week, Mkhize cautioned that South Africa might be heading faster than expected for a second wave of coronavirus infections if people did not adhere to non-medical interventions like wearing face masks and social distancing during the current level — one of a five-level — lockdown.
“I wish to take this opportunity to urge all South Africans to continue adhering to health protocols. I want to beg that we do not neglect wearing our masks, social distancing and washing / sanitizing our hands,” he said.
The minister said that as a country, “we have made significant strides in our fight against this pandemic. Let us not dare regress”.
“Whatever we do and wherever we go, we have to keep in mind that there remains a risk of a second wave. This virus only spreads through movement and contact of people. Therefore, we must all play our part. We must protect ourselves and those we love, Mkhize said.
There has been growing concern that people have generally become less cautious after the government relaxed most of the lockdown restrictions to save a battered economy and fight massive unemployment and poverty.
“I went to a major supermarket yesterday and found people walking around without masks and even the strict sanitising protocols at the door were no longer evident. This is dangerous!” a shopper said on a local radio station in reaction to news about Mkhize testing COVID-19 positive.
“There are just too many parties and social gatherings going on,” said another, echoing sentiments expressed by authorities, who have vowed to clamp down on clubs and taverns which do not adhere to regulations in terms of numbers admitted, ensuring social distancing on their premises, and implementing the curfew from midnight to 4 am.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)
