Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Friday evening said South Africa only has one confirmed Covid-19 related death and not two as initially reported by the department.
Only one of the two women reported dead as a result of Covid-19 on Friday, tested positive for the virus, Mkhize said on Friday evening.
On Friday morning both the Health Department and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde released statements saying that the women, aged 28 and 48-years-old were the country’s first Covid-19 related deaths.
However, hours later the health department retracted its statement saying that the 28-year-old woman’s test results came back negative.
Mkhize said the woman displayed symptoms "matching the clinical picture of Covid-19 and therefore a test was conducted".
“This morning we reported that two deaths had occurred as a result of the Covid-19 virus.
“The first patient was a 48-year-old female who tested positive on the 23rd March 2020. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism. This means she had an underlying disease.
“The second patient who died was a suspected case based on her clinical presentation. The clinicians who were treating her have reported to us that this was a 28-year-old female who had presented at the hospital in respiratory distress.
“On arrival in ICU, she was declared dead. The clinical picture was suggestive of Covid-19 and therefore a test was conducted. Her laboratory results have since been received at 5:20pm and were confirmed negative.
REPORTED DEATHS: The second patient who died was a 28 year old female who was in respiratory distress. The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19. A test was done including to her family.They all tested negative. She is therefore no longer considered a #COVID19 case
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) March 27, 2020
The Minister said the woman’s family was also tested and they are also negative.
“She is therefore no longer considered a Covid-19 case.This therefore means there is only one confirmed death caused by COVID-19 in South Africa.”
COUNTRY SYNOPSIS:
To give a synopsis of what is currently occurring in the country in relation to confirmed #COVID19 patients: pic.twitter.com/eNp0dP67Sr
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) March 27, 2020