The SABC, on Saturday 28 March, confirmed that a second employee tested positive for the coronavirus.
According to SAFM News, the second case has been confirmed in Johannesburg at news research.
Second SABC employee tests positive for coronavirus
The public broadcaster explained that the employee was sick off and is currently being hospitalised.
All employees in the area are already working from home as part of the coronavirus contingency plan.
SABC has confirmed that another employee has tested positive for the corona-virus. This second case is based in Johannesburg. It says the employee was off sick and is currently hospitalised. First case of an SABC employee at Kimberley office is under isolation and being monitored
— SAfm news (@SAfmnews) March 28, 2020
First SABC employee tests positive in Kimberley
SABC staff in Kimberley were placed under quarantine on Thursday 26 March after a reporter tested positive for the coronavirus. The office in the Northern Cape was also closed.
According to the Citizen, SABC spokesperson Mmoni Seapolelo confirmed that one of their staff members tested positive.
“The SABC can confirm that we have one confirmed case of coronavirus at our Northern Cape provincial office. As a precautionary measure, we will close the Kimberley office and all employees based in that office will also be quarantined. The employee concerned is under quarantine and will be monitored,” said Seapolelo.
The news came just as South Africans prepared for the nationwide lockdown.
Latest coronavirus cases in SA
The latest coronavirus tally, as of Saturday, stands at 1 170. The number was announced on Friday, along with South Africa’s first two deaths.
Later, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize revised the death toll, saying that one of the deaths did not appear to be caused by a coronavirus.
The second patient, 28, 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. At the time of presentation, she was hypoxic. She was intubated and transferred to hospital during the early hours of this morning, (27 March 2020 at 3:00). On arrival in ICU, she was declared dead,” said Mkhize.
“The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19 and therefore a test was conducted. Her laboratory results have since been received and were confirmed negative. Her immediate family was also tested and they are also negative. She is therefore no longer considered a COVID-19 case,” he added.
This, therefore, means there is only one confirmed death caused by COVID-19 in South Africa.
Source: The South African Read More
