The number of COVID-19 deaths in South Africa has been revised down from two to one mortality, after a subsequent investigation found that one patient was negative for the virus.
Earlier on Friday, the Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said South Africa had recorded its first two deaths. The cases were in private and public institutions in the Western Cape.
As of Friday, South Africa had recorded 1 170 positive cases. This is an increase of 243 new cases from yesterday’s announcement. The total number of tests conducted to date is 28 537.
On Friday evening, the Minister in a statement said laboratory results on the 28-year-old, which were received at 5.20pm, showed that the deceased was COVID-19 negative.
“This morning we reported that two deaths had occurred as a result of the COVID-19 virus. The first patient was a 48-year-old female, who had tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 March 2020. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism. This means she had an underlying disease,” the Minister said.
The second patient who died was a suspected case, based on her clinical presentation.
The death come as South Africa entered the first day of a 21-day national lockdown aimed at slowing down the spread of the virus. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown in a televised address to the nation on Monday.
