KZN Health MEC refutes false and irresponsible reporting on coronavirus

06 February 2020

KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Ms Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu hereby wishes to refute the false, irresponsible, and sensationalist reporting by certain news websites, which has created an untruthful and misleading impression about coronavirus.

In responding to a media enquiry earlier this afternoon, the Department issued a clear an unambiguous response that it is aware of two cases that exhibited symptoms that were not dissimilar to those of Coronavirus, but pointed out that these these were subsequently found to be false alarms after laboratory tests were conducted.

In its response, the Department pointed out that at the moment, there is *NO Laboratory Confirmation* of the virus for the above-mentioned cases.

As a precaution, one case is being handled by the Department at one of its facilities, while the other one is currently being managed by a private healthcare facility in Durban.

The Department can confidently state that there are *NO* confirmed cases because even in the cases in question, neither of the patients presented with symptoms after 14 days of the incubation period for coronavirus.

The Department is monitoring the treatment and management of these patients closely, in accordance with the extensive stringent measures and protocols that have been put in place as announced by the National Department of Health.

Members of the public will be duly notified of any new developments by the National Department of Health.

Until then, the Department would like to appeal to the media, and community of KwaZulu-Natal at large to remain calm and avoid being misled by false and sensational statements which are peddled on social media platforms.

Issued on behalf of KZN Health MEC, Ms Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu