Minister of Health clarifies – Only one death due to Covid-19
There is only one confirmed Covid-19 death in SA
The Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, clarified that only one death was caused due to Covid-19.
This morning, 27 March, the Department of Health reported that two deaths had occurred as a result of the Covid-19 virus.
The first patient was a 48-year-old female who tested positive on 23 March. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism. This means she had an underlying disease.
The second patient who died was a suspected case based on her clinical presentation. The clinicians who were treating her have reported to the Department 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. On arrival in ICU, she was declared deceased. The clinical picture was suggestive of Covid-19 and therefore a test was conducted.
Her laboratory results have since been received at 5.20pm 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. As such there is only one confirmed Covid-19 death in SA.
The number of Covid-19 cases has increased by 243 as of 27 March bringing the total number of laboratory confirmed Covid-19 cases to 1170.
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