Health Minister Mkhize Says Adequate Measures In Place To Deal With Coronavirus, No Need To Panic

Riyaz Patel

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has assured South Africans that all measures are in place to adequately deal with any outbreak of the coronavirus here, emphasizing that there is no need to panic.

At least 132 people have died since the outbreak in China about a month ago and more than 6,000 people affected.

No cases have been reported in South Africa.

Speaking in Beijing after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom said “China has released information in an open and transparent manner, identified the pathogen in a record-short time and shared the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus in a timely manner with the WHO and other countries.”

He added that WHO will make “assessments based on science and facts, and opposes overreaction and groundless accusations,” Xinhua news agency reported.

“So far, there are no suspected