The students and other South Africans were repatriated from China after President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the SANDF to repatriate them after fears of the virus. According to the minister of Education and Higher Training, Blade Nzimande, who gave a report to the Covid-19 command team on Saturday 28 March, said the quarantine period for the 114 South African citizens ended on Friday 27 March. 

He adds that the department will transport the students to their provinces and ensure they are reunited with their families. OFM News previously reported that anxious parents on 19 February 2020 made a passionate plea with the provincial authorities to evacuate their children.

The Department of Health announced that all the South African citizens that were repatriated from Wuhan were all tested for Covid-19 and their results have come back negative. The group has been placed in quarantine for 21 days at The Ranch Resort.

So far the number of those infected by the novel coronavirus in the Free State has increased from 49 to 68 after 19 new positive cases were confirmed.  And the number of confirmed cases of the Covid-19 in the country stands at 1187 with only one death reported and 31 patients who have recovered. 

According to a statement by the provincial health department, many of those who tested positive is as a result of people who attended a church gathering in Bloemfontein. 

The departmental spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, said 1259 contacts have been identified and 973 has been reached with 773 classified as asymptomatic meaning they are not showing any signs of illness. Also Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, announced that three doctors, one nurse and neurophysicist in the province are amongst some of the healthcare workers in the country who tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus. He said none of these doctors were infected by patients that they were treating and says they came in contact with family members, friends and colleagues who had tested positive for Covid-19.

OFM News