SA’s third Covid-19 death is 85-year-old man from Bloemfontein

A 85-year-old man from Bloemfontein in the Free State has been confirmed as the third person to die from Covid-19 in SA.

The Free State department of health said his 81-year-old wife had also been admitted to hospital.

The department is expected to meet with his family on Tuesday morning.

On Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced to the nation four days into the 21-day nationwide lockdown that the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has risen to 1,326.

Ramaphosa said three people were confirmed to have died from the respiratory illness.

Free State department of health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said the province has screened a total of 2,767 people with 256 tested and 966 traced.

There had been nine recoveries from Covid-19 in the province.

“This number of Covid-19 recoveries should send a message of hope to anyone who happens to test positive to Covid-19 at any given point in time that it is possible to recover from the effects of the virus.

“It is important to emphasize that these recoveries are highly influenced by the adherence to clinical advice and regulations as stated by the president through the lockdown,” he said.

Mvambi said 25 tracer teams have been deployed in Mangaung, of which there are 125 tracers in each of the teams.

“These are men and women at the frontline. They are faced with an unenviable task of having to exercise patience in interacting with people who have to be shown the bright side of availing themselves to be screened in order to determine eligibility of testing.”

Editor's note: This story originally said the man was 86-years-old, based on information provided to TimesLIVE. However, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize confirmed that the man was in fact 85. The error is regretted, and has been corrected.