JOHANNESBURG, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A French tourist who arrived at South Africa's Kruger National Park (KNP) on March 17 tested positive to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), said South African National Parks (SANParks) on Friday.
SANParks said the tourist was a member of a group of six who had booked a two-night stay in the national park.
"Before leaving the KNP one of the tourists, a 25-year-old male, consulted the resident medical doctor in the park for what was initially suspected to be a malaria infection but later ruled out. The tourist was advised by the doctor to undergo a COVID-19 test as he complained about a sore throat and had a slight fever," said Rey Thakhuli, SANParks acting head of communications.
He said after the test, the group left for KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), where they were traced and attended to.
The five members of the group have now placed themselves in self-isolation and the patient admitted to a designated health facility in KwaZulu-Natal, according to the department of health.
Thakhuli said the staff who got into contact with the tourists have been tracked down and will be monitored for 14 days. They will immediately be taken for testing if they show any symptoms that conform to the COVID-19 case definition.
