Coronavirus: South Africa’s first case passed through airport with no symptoms

The man returned from Italy on March 1, then went into self-isolation after he began experiencing a fever, headache and sore throat

Italy has been the country worst hit by the virus in Europe, with at least 107 deaths and 3,089 cases registered in the past two weeks

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The South African patient passed through the O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 10:56pm, 5 Mar 2020Updated: 11:05pm, 7 Apr 2020

South Africa on Thursday reported its first confirmed case of the coronavirus, a man who had returned from a trip to Italy without showing any symptoms.

The health ministry said the patient was a 38-year-old male who travelled to Italy with his wife, passed through the main O.R. Tambo airport in Johannesburg when they returned home and then went to the eastern region of KwaZulu-Natal.

They were part of a group of 10 people and they arrived back in South Africa on March 1, 2020, it added.

The patient has been in self-isolation since March 3, when he visited a doctor complaining of a fever, headache, malaise, sore throat and cough, the ministry said. The couple has two children.

Experts deem the African continent to be at high risk of the coronavirus due to its close links with China and weak health systems. Photo: AFP

Health authorities in South Africa said they would start a search for contacts of the patient.

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