A 74-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal has been confirmed as the second person to die from the coronavirus in South Africa
SOUTH Africa’s confirmed Covid-19 cases increased by 93 and was at 1 280 on Sunday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said.
Mkhize said a 74-year-old man who tested positive for Covid-19 and who had been in ICU on ventilation in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, died.
“It is with sadness that we announce the second death of a patient who had tested positive for Covid-19. The 74-year-old male had been in ICU and ventilation in a private hospital in Ladysmith. He had travelled to Kruger National Park with his family and came back with flu-like symptoms,” Mkhize said in a statement.
“He was confirmed to be Covid-19 positive on the 27th March 2020. It has been reported to us that the deceased patient had an underlying skin cancer condition (melanoma), which had already complicated. He presented with the following symptoms: respiratory distress, shortness of breath, cardiac failure, decreased saturation and his temperature was above 38 degrees.”
Mkhize said the man’s family, 14 health workers, including three specialist doctors, who were in contact with him were now in quarantine and were being monitored.
“We express our condolences to the family and we thank the doctors and health workers who looked after the deceased patient until his time of passing,” said Mkhize
On Friday 48-year-old Madeleine van Wyk passed away in a Western Cape hospital.
Earlier on Sunday Western Cape Premier Alan Winde announced that confirmed cases of Covid-19 has increased to 310 in the Western Cape.
All nine provinces in South Africa have reported confirmed coronavirus cases. Gauteng still has the most confirmed cases with 584. KwaZulu-Natal, where Ladysmith is located, has 167.
– African News Agency (ANA)
