An “urgent” invitation to attend a meeting about the coronavirus was sent to Hilton parents and school representatives on Friday.

“The MEC for education, Kwazi Mshengu, would like to extend an urgent invitation to all school representatives and parents in the area who can make it to this meeting so they can ask questions that will allow them to make informed decisions in dealing with this situation,” said national health ministerial spokesperson Dr Lwazi Manzi.

On Thursday, private school Cowan House announced  it would be closed on Friday after confirmation that a parent of one of its pupils had tested positive for the virus.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, KwaZulu-Natal's MECs for health and education, and the National Institute for Communicable Disease (NICD) will be meeting the Cowan House board and managers on Friday.

In a statement issued by principal, Derek Braans, and chairman of the board, Andrew Barnes, the school said it had received a number of enquiries from staff and parents.

Mkhize announced on Thursday that the country's “patient zero” tested positive for Covid-19 after returning from a trip to Italy with his wife and eight others. The 38-year-old man returned to SA on March 1, and visited his GP on March 3 after complaining of fever, headaches, a sore throat and a cough.

Mkhize said the man, his wife, their two children and his doctor were self-quarantined.

On Friday Mkhize will also meet managers at Grey's Hospital, Pietermaritzburg's main hospital which has been designated as one of the hospitals that are ready to receive patients who test positive for the virus.

Mkhize will also meet private general practitioners, including members of the SA Medical Association.