South Africa's health minister tests positive
South Africa's health minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19.
"I wish to inform the public that this afternoon my wife, Dr May Mkhize and I have tested positive for COVID-19," he said in a statement posted on his official Twitter account Sunday. "We decided to go test yesterday when I started showing mild symptoms. I was feeling abnormally exhausted and as the day progressed, I started losing appetite."
"My wife had a cough, was dizzy and extremely exhausted," he continued. "Given her symptoms, the doctors advised that she must be admitted for observation and rehydration."
Mkhize said their close contacts over the past week, including some colleagues and family members, have been informed of their positive test results and were advised to immediately self-isolate and get tested.
"I am now in quarantine at home and both my wife and I remain optimistic that we will fully recover from this virus," he said.
The health minister warned of a possible second wave of infections and urged his fellow South Africans to continue wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and washing hands.
"I wish to take this opportunity to urge all South Africans to continue adhering to health protocols," he said. "As country, we’ve made significant strides in our fight against this pandemic. Let us not dare regress."
South Africa accounts for nearly half of all confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent. As of Monday, South Africa has reported 703,793 confirmed cases with at least 18,471 deaths, according to data from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.