Minister of health Dr Zwelini Mkhize has confirmed a second case of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in SA. The 39-year-old lady from Gauteng was in direct contact with the first case from KwaZulu-Natal.

She was part of the group of 10 that had travelled to Italy. Mkhize also confirmed that a 39-year-old male South African working in Daegu, South Korea, had also tested positive for Covid-19. He was due to return to SA but had since remained in South Korea.

“The public must be notified that we have information and know the whereabouts of all the other 10 people who were part of the group that had travelled to Italy. All those who came back to SA, are currently being tested. We are now awaiting their test results to come out.” Mkhize said.

Mkhize said the second patient who tested positive for Covid-19 would immediately be admitted to a public health facility in Gauteng that government had identified as one of the hospitals that were ready to receive Covid-19 positive patients.

“We are now following all the protocols that we have already publicly announced to the public in dealing with this case. We will keep the public fully informed on all relevant developments.

A 38-year-old man from Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal, tested positive for the virus, three days after returning from a holiday in Italy on Sunday, becoming the country's first confirmed case of the deadly virus.