This brings the total number of cases in South Africa to 1280, up from 1187. Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, says the death toll in the country rose to two on Sunday, up from one the previous day. 

South Africa has the highest number of cases in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). 

President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered a 21-day national lockdown - which enters its fourth day today - to try and flatten the infection curve of Covid-19.

"It is with sadness that we announce the second death of a patient who had tested positive for Covid-19," he says. Mkhize adds that the 74-year-old man had been in the ICU at a private hospital in Ladysmith.

He further says the deceased had travelled to the Kruger National Park with his family and came back with flu-like symptoms. He was confirmed to be Covid-19 positive on March 27.

"It has been reported to us that the deceased patient had an underlying condition (melanoma)."

He presented with the following symptoms:

Respiratory distress, shortness of breath, cardiac failure, decreased saturation and his temperature was above 38 degrees," Mkhize adds.

OFM News