Vavi confirmed his diagnosis on Thursday and said he does not know where he contracted the virus.
Johannesburg – Saftu general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has tested positive for the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Vavi confirmed his diagnosis on Thursday and said he does not know where he contracted the virus.
“I have no idea (where he transmitted it) all I had was the flu from Friday and it got worse by Saturday and Sunday. So yesterday I went to test, just to be on the safe side not that I had any of the big symptoms, I just felt a little bit down and out of my strides. There worst I was expecting was to test positive, but here we are,” Vavi said.
His diagnosis comes as the country’s confirmed number of cases as of Wednesday was 1 380 and 44 292 tests had been conducted. Five people were confirmed to have died from the virus.
His is the latest prominent individual to be diagnosed. Two prominent individuals who tested positive for the virus were ACDP Reverend leader Kenneth Meshoe and fellow MP Steve Swart.
HIV researcher Professor Gita Ramjee, who worked on HIV prevention and was globally recognised, died from the virus.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said the government would be conducting widespread testing and screening for the virus. A total of 10 000 healthcare workers would be sent out across the country in an effort to decrease the spread of the virus.
On Wednesday night, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said South Africa’s confirmed coronavirus cases had risen by 27 new cases to 1 380 confirmed cases.
The minister warned that local transmissions were on the rise as government rolled out heightened mobile testing efforts. He said government’s efforts had so far been reactive, but government would not be going into communities to test on the “offence”.
In KZN, eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda confirmed the virus had reached three densely populated townships, uMlazi, eMaoti and KwaMashu.
Mkhize had said on Wednesday he and the government were concerned about the number of townships which had confirmed cases. Other townships include Khayelitsha in Cape Town and Alexandra in Johannesburg, where cases have been confirmed.
SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi tested positive for#COVID19SouthAfrica and is in self isolation.pic.twitter.com/OWGUtqp0Ig
— Thibos (@ThibosAfrika)April 2, 2020
Zwelinzima Vavi has tested positive for corona…he’s on 403 right now.
— thandokuhle (@thandxkuhle)April 2, 2020
IOL
