Gauteng's first Covid-19 death is a 79-year-old man from Krugersdorp

A 79-year-old man from Krugersdorp died on Monday at a private hospital on Gauteng's West Rand, becoming the province's first Covid-19 death.

He is one of five South Africans to have died from the illness.

“I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences and express our collective grief to the family and friends of the deceased,” said premier David Makhura on Tuesday.

According to the provincial government, the man was admitted to the private hospital in Mogale City on Saturday.

The province has recorded 633 cases of Covid-19 to date, out of the nation total of 1,353.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize confirmed the death at a press briefing on Tuesday evening. He said including this case, five South Africans had died from Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.

Besides the man in Gauteng, two were in KwaZulu-Natal and one each in the Western Cape and the Free State.

Meanwhile, the Gauteng government said it began rolling out Covid-19 tests on Tuesday, starting in Alexandra, Johannesburg.

“Following the directives of the president of deploying 10,000 field workers to visit villages, towns and cities to screen residents for Covid-19 symptoms, the Gauteng provincial council has resolved to implement [the] directives by screening residents of Gauteng, starting today [Tuesday] with Alexandra township,” said the province.

The screening of residents will initially focus on areas with the largest number of contacts, as well as high-density areas that are most vulnerable.