While the death toll from the coronavirus in China climbed to more than 2,000 on Wednesday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there have still been no confirmed cases in SA.
“As of February 18, 87 people have tested for COVID-19, of which 49 meet the case definition for COVID-19 person under investigation and all results have come back negative. We can assure South Africans that the country has not had a confirmed case of COVID-19,” said the institute in a statement.
“Through the National Emergency Operations Centre, updating of guidelines and training of health-care professionals, and taking steps to expand the scope for testing for COVID-19, the NICD continues to strengthen capacity to better contain and manage the COVID-19 outbreak from entering South Africa.”