The first case of coronavirus infection is South Africa has sparked widespread panic, with many people searching for answers on how to avoid infection and what to do in the event that they suspect they have been exposed.





On Thursday the ministry of health confirmed that a 38-year-old man who had returned from Italy, where he and his wife were part of a tour group, had tested positive for COVID-19.





The couple, who are from KwaZulu-Natal, returned home on March 1 and the husband consulted a doctor on March 3 after presenting flu-like symptoms, including headache, fever and a cough. He tested positive for COVID-19 and has been self-isolating since then, the ministry said. The doctor has also been in isolation since March 3.