South Africa has 274 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Sunday.

“As of today, South Africa now has 274 confirmed cases of Covid-19. This means there has been an increase of 34 from yesterday’s announcement,” he said in a statement.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) — a division of the National Health Laboratory Service —  said it continued to monitor Covid-19 trends and transmission rates.  

“The NICD, as of 22 March 2020, confirms 34 new additional cases that have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases to 274. Of the 274 cases, 208 (76 percent) have a history of travel from an area where Covid-19 is circulating. The majority of those without international travel history have had recent contact with persons who have travelled internationally,” the NICD said in a statement.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the media at Union Buildings shortly after engaging with business and political leaders about the effects of coronavirus in South Africa. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

“The Eastern Cape Province has recorded its second case. The majority of the new cases were reported in the Western Cape Province, 14, totalling 88 cases to date.”

The NICD said of the new cases, in the Eastern Cape, a 22-year-old man who travelled to Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom tested positive for Covid-19.

Other cases include:

Free State:

– A 49-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 26-year-old man with a pending travel history.

FILE PHOTO: A computer image created by Nexu Science Communication together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus which is the type of virus linked to COVID-19

Gauteng:

– A 58-year-old man who travelled to Pakistan and Dubai.

– A 49-year-old man with no international travel history.

– A 28-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 24-year-old man with no international travel history.

– A 33-year-old woman who travelled to the United Kingdom.

– A 22-year-old man who travelled to Mauritius.

– A 40-year-old man with pending travel history.

KwaZulu-Natal:

– A 39-year-old man who travelled to the United Kingdom, Austria and Dubai.

– A 47-year-old man who travelled to France.

– A 45-year-old man who travelled to Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria.

– A 40-year old man who travelled to France and Austria.

– A 44-year-old man with no international travel history.

– A 55-year-old man with pending travel history.

– A 68-year-old man who travelled to Austria.

– A 49-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 32-year-old woman who travelled to Italy.

President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the media at Union Buildings shortly after engaging with business and political leaders about the effects of coronavirus in South Africa. Picture: Oupa Mokoena/African News Agency (ANA)

Mpumalanga:

– A 25-year-old man who travelled to France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Western Cape:

– A 44-year-old woman who travelled to the United Kingdom, Austria and Dubai.

– A 33-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 24-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 53-year-old woman who travelled to the United Kingdom.

– A 57-year-old man who travelled to the United Kingdom.

– A 30-year-old man who travelled to Italy and Switzerland.

– A 28-year-old woman who travelled to Italy and Switzerland.

– A 62-year-old man who travelled to Switzerland.

– A 30-year-old man with no international travel history.

– A 71-year-old man who travelled to Portugal.

– A 47-year-old woman with no international travel history.

– A 57-year-old man with no international travel history.

– A 54-year-old man who travelled to Italy.

– A 49-year-old woman who travelled to Italy.

“Contact tracing of all cases that the patients may have come into contact with is underway,” the NICD said.

-ANA