Coronavirus: Suspected case identified in Western Cape [updated]

On Friday 6 March 2020, a patient suspected to be infected with the coronavirus was admitted to the Tyberberg Hospital in the Western Cape.

Update: The Western Cape government have confirmed that a suspected case in Parow “did not meet the criteria for COVID-19”. At the time of publishing, there are no confirmed cases in the Western Cape and tests are still being conducted.

Second update: The Western Cape Government confirmed that the patient was not infected with COVID-19. The patient reportedly “used the COVID-19 situation for his personal gain” to receive treatment. Read more here.

Coronavirus in Western Cape: Here’s what we know

As reported by Asanda Sokanyile from Weekend Argus, “the Western Cape Health Department is waiting for test results on a patient who was transported to Tygerberg hospital after exhibiting signs of the virus on Friday”.

At the time of publishing, the Western Cape Health Department had already investigated 32 cases of a COVID-19 outbreak in the province. However, all patients tested negative for the infection.

In total, more than 300 people have been tested in South Africa, with only one confirmed case of the virus in KwaZulu-Natal. The results of the patient at Tyberberg will be available withing 24 to 48 hours, the department said.

Coronavirus: Global figures

In addition, Western Cape Health Department spokesperson Mark van der Heever confirmed that a case at Tygerberg is being investigated and said that the department’s “routine response management process is working”:

“A person matching the case definition of COVID-19 was identified earlier today. Our response team was alerted and collected the patient. As per normal routine and protocol, the patient was taken to the designated hospital for further assessment and tests. This is part of our routine response management process which is working.”

At the time of publishng, more than 102 000 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus disease globally. However, it is still no cause for panic; the death rate is 3.4% and chances of recovery are high, if treated.

Out of the 102 000 cases, 80 650 are in China. Approximately 6 760 have been identified in South Korea, followed by 4 700 in Iran and and 4630 in Italy. 57 389 patients have recovered from the infection and 3 491 have passed away.

How to track the spread of the disease

Your best bet would be the GIS & Data tracker, which is managed by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE). 

The reports on GIS & Data are interactive and updated by the Johns Hopkins CSSE; all the information you receive will be factual.

To get a breakdown by country, you’re best bet would be to visit Foreign Policy. Each section of the map is clickable. However, the map was updated yesterday, so South Africa’s first case is not included yet.

Will it spread in South Africa?

We have our first confirmed case in South Africa but it really isn’t any cause for panic. For starters, the figures above show that recovery rates are high.

Shaheen Mehtar, who leads the national health department’s coronavirus infection prevention and control programme, explains:

“The virus is very sensitive to heat, so [our current] temperatures are basically too high for the virus. Even if one or two people get infected the spread of it is not going to be very good because the virus doesn’t like heat.”