The South African president tested positive for COVID-19 and has begun self-isolation

People's Daily health client Wang Aibing

On the evening of the 12th local time, the website of the South African Presidential Office released a message that earlier on the 12th, President Cyril Ramaphosa began to feel unwell after leaving the National Memorial of former South African President De Klerk, and then his new coronavirus test result was positive.

Ramaphosa is currently in good spirits, is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service under the South African Defence Force, is now self-isolating in Cape Town, and entrusts all matters to Vice President Mabuza for next week.

Ramaphosa and the delegation returned to South Africa from Senegal on 8 December 2021 after concluding their visit to four West African countries, when he tested negative for COVID-19.

Ramaphosa said his infection was a reminder that everyone in South Africa needs to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible and be vigilant and avoid contact. Vaccination remains the best protection against serious illness and reducing hospitalizations.

Recently, the epidemic situation in South Africa has once again been grim. On the 12th, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases of South Africa announced that the number of new confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia in South Africa in a single day was 37,875, setting a record for the highest single-day new case since the outbreak of the epidemic.