Knysna ward councillor and wife in self-quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19

A Knysna ward councillor and his wife have tested positive for the coronavirus after an overseas trip.

Councillor Peter Myers' wife, Candace, announced on Facebook that they had been in quarantine for the past five days.

“We are currently in day 5! We have been contacted by the district medical officer. We have also been visited in our home by medical officers from the provincial hospital, and have been called by the national authorities. All the authorities had requested that we do not go onto social media until advised otherwise. We have followed their request, and they have now told us to go ahead,” she wrote.

They suspected they had contracted the virus on a recent overseas trip.

“We arrived back in SA after attending my godson’s wedding in Switzerland, and a few days of sightseeing in Prague and Vienna,” said Candace.

The couple said they had been tested for the virus at the airport upon arrival.

“We arrived in George on Friday the 13th March 2020, and were picked up at the airport by my brother. We showed no symptoms at all. We passed through two temperature tests at OR Tambo [International Airport in Johannesburg]. My brother brought dust masks for us, and we were the only ones to touch our luggage. At all times throughout our trip, we exercised as much care as we could. After being collected from the airport, we came straight home, and went directly to our bedroom,” she said.

The couple has continued to exercise caution.

“Our daughter has not been to school since we returned home. Our staff have not been to work since our return home (they are on paid leave until further notice). The only time we have left the house was to go to our doctor and then to the lab to get the swabs done. We kept as much distance as possible between us and everyone else,” Candace said.

They only started showing symptoms of the virus on Friday night.

“We both had severe fevers, body chills, body aches and headaches. That is all. Peter has developed a slight cough, but we are feeling much better,” she said.

The couple said they would continue to self-isolate. Candace’s brother is also in quarantine.