At the first briefing on Thursday to reassure South Africans not to panic at the news that the first person with Covid-19 had been diagnosed in the country, the minister raised a few eyebrows when he coughed on live TV.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize. Picture: Gallo Images
It was reminiscent of the deputy health minister of Iran who made headlines for first denying that the novel coronavirus was in his country, only to have to later admit that he had contracted it.
He had also appeared on live TV coughing and sneezing.
Dr Mkhize’s coughing etiquette was very much by the book, though, as he coughed into his jacket sleeve, as advised.
Footage of the cough starting circulating shortly afterwards.
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