Nkosenhle Sibisi
KwaZulu-Natal’s Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, says the province has been ready for a while to fight the spread of the Coronavirus.

The first case in South Africa was reported in Hilton, near Pietermaritzbug – the province’s capital.

Addressing the media on Monday, the MEC said that patient no longer has Covid-19 symptoms.

“The first man who tested positive is feeling well, all the symptoms are gone, but he understands that that is necessary that he stays in the isolation facilities until he tests negative. Keeping him in our facilities will also protect him from the stigmas in the community.”

This media briefing happened after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared COVID–19 a national state of disaster on Sunday evening.

Simelane-Zulu told the press that the World Organisation (WHO) agrees with the province’s methods of protecting citizens.

“As the province, we are very much ready. In fact, when the World Health Organisation declared this pandemic virus in January, we decided to put plans together as the province. Our health facilities and workers are ready to fight this virus.

Earlier this month, we identified four hospitals namely; Addington, Grey’s, Manguzi and NgwelezaneHospital that are ready to help those infected, I’m so happy to announced that we have added other hospitals with isolation wards as the virus is spreading.”

South Africa currently has 61 confirmed COVID-19 cases. During last night’s nation address, the President announced the issuing of travel bans from heavily affected countries that include, United States of America, Britain, Italy, Iran and South Korea as from 18 March. He also announced that schools will be closed from Wednesday until after Easter holidays.

Higher education institutions such as University of KwaZulu-Natal, Wits, University of Johannesburg and Durban University of Technology have suspended all or some academic programmes until further notice.