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Limpopo's first Covid-19 death initially tested negative

 

Limpopo recorded its first Covid-19 death on Wednesday. The 69-year-old man from the Capricorn District was admitted to the Netcare Pholoso Hospital in Polokwane on 7 April and died just over a week later, on 15 April. He had underlying health problems and was suffering from diabetes.

In addressing the province about the death of the man, the Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, said earlier today at a news conference that the man had initially tested negative for the virus but was put in isolation as a precautionary measure. He was tested again but passed away before the result of the second test was available. Ramathuba said that experts were now looking at the circumstances that might have caused the first test to show a false negative, despite the man’s showing all the symptoms of the virus infection.

The 69-year-old man’s death comes amidst Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s announcement on Thursday that South Africa’s total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases had risen to 2 605. “We also note that the number of tests being conducted continues to rise, with the total number of tests conducted to date being 95 060,” said Mkhize in a press release.

Mkhize said she regretted that they had to inform the public that the Covid-19 related deaths stood at 48. “We note that two provinces, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, have also recorded their first deaths. We convey our condolences to the families. We continue to speak strength and appreciate our dedicated health workers who are faced with these circumstances daily,” said Mkhize.

Apart from recording its first death, on Thursday, Limpopo had 26 confirmed cases with 18 recoveries. Gauteng remained the worst-hit regarding confirmed cases, totalling 969 with six deaths and 479 recoveries. Kwazulu-Natal, however, is still the province with the highest number of deaths from the Covid-19 virus, totalling 20, with 539 cases and 96 recoveries. The province with the second-highest death rate is the Western Cape, with 675 cases, 13 deaths and 205 recoveries. Another province in triple digits for confirmed Covid-19 cases is the Eastern Cape, with 220 cases, four deaths and nine recoveries. The rest of the provinces’ numbers are the Free State with 98 cases, four deaths and 71 recoveries; North West with 24 cases and 10 recoveries; Mpumalanga with 22 cases and 9 recoveries; and the Northern Cape with 16 cases and six recoveries. A total of 16 cases have not been allocated. The country’s total number of deaths stood at 48 on Thursday, with 903 recoveries.

In conclusion, Mkhize said they were encouraged by the increased number of patients who had recovered from Covid-19.

 

 

Date:17 April 2020

By: Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

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