IN a statement to the media, the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department slammed false reports that the Coronavirus had broken out in KZN.
While MEC for the department, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu called the claims “false, irresponsible, and sensationalist” she confirmed that the department is aware of two cases that exhibited symptoms that were “not dissimilar” to those of Coronavirus.
“These were subsequently found to be false alarms after laboratory tests were conducted,” she said.
The department pointed out that at the moment, there is no laboratory confirmation of the virus for the above-mentioned cases.
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“As a precaution, one case is being handled by the department at one of its facilities, while the other one is currently being managed by a private healthcare facility in Durban. The Department can confidently state that there are no confirmed cases because even in the cases in question, neither of the patients presented with symptoms after 14 days of the incubation period for coronavirus,” said Simelane-Zulu.
The Department is monitoring the treatment and management of these patients closely, in accordance with the extensive stringent measures and protocols that have been put in place as announced by the National Department of Health.
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“Members of the public will be duly notified of any new developments by the National Department of Health. Until then, the department would like to appeal to the media, and community of KwaZulu-Natal at large to remain calm and avoid being misled by false and sensational statements which are peddled on social media platforms,” said Simelane-Zulu.
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