BREAKING NEWS – Second Covid-19 death in Lim, cases increase to 30

The Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba said during a press briefing at Lebowakgomo Hospital earlier today, that a second person died of Covid-19. She indicated that 30 cases of Covid-19 have been registered in the province. She reiterated that of the total number, 24 are recoveries, two deaths and four active cases. The latest are the two cases which have been recorded in Mopani and Sekhukhune district respectively, Ramathuba explained.

According to her, the case in Mopani is of a 52-year-old male teacher from Greater Giyani who was identified during the massive screening and testing campaign. He has a history of being admitted to a private facility in Gauteng and discharged on 6 April, Ramathuba stated, she added that his contacts have been identified and traced. Ramathuba went on to highlight that due to his comorbidity he has been admitted to a private facility where he is in isolation and his condition is stable.

Regrettably, case number 30 is our first Covid-19 case in the Sekhukhune region which unfortunately has demised and was diagnosed through a post-mortem result. The deceased is a 55-year-old male who worked in Cape Town as both a freelancer in the film industry and a traditional healer,” Ramathuba said.

He is believed to have fallen ill while in Cape Town and his son chose to drive him back to the province where he arrived on 15 April to consult both his prophet and his traditional healer, it was learnt. His condition took a turn for the worst on 20 April, and he was taken to private practitioner in the area where he was declared dead on arrival after spending less than 30 minutes in the practice, according to Ramathuba.  “We have been monitoring all the deaths, and all suspicious deaths are swabbed and specimens are taken for testing, the same was done in this case. His results unfortunately came back positive. Our tracer teams have since been on the ground visiting the surgery to disinfect it and also tracing all the contacts of the deceased to screen and test them,” Ramathuba explained.

She added that the doctor and his five staff members have been tested and are now in quarantine and the surgery has since been closed.

Story: Endy Senyatsi