CAPE TOWN, South Africa
South Africa's Minister of Employment and Labor, Thembelani Nxesi, has been admitted to hospital due to COVID-19, becoming the second cabinet minister to be hospitalized for the same disease in South Africa, the government announced on Tuesday.
Nxesi was admitted to hospital
Monday night after testing positive for the coronavirus almost a week ago,
government spokesperson Phumla Williams said in a statement.
The minister had, until last
night, been in self-quarantine at home, according to Williams.
"His admission to hospital
comes on the advice of his medical doctors, in order for him to have access to
better medical attention and proper monitoring," said Williams.
Earlier on Monday, Minister of
Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe was also admitted to hospital due
to COVID-19.
Mantashe had been under
self-isolation at home after testing positive for COVID-19 a week ago.
"We wish both Minister Nxesi
and Minister Mantashe well and a speedy recovery," Williams said.
In addition to Nxesi and
Mantashe, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Mapisa-Nqakula also tested
positive for COVID-19, but has recovered from the disease, the government said
earlier.
The infections among senior
politicians highlight the seriousness of the escalating pandemic in South
Africa, the worst affected country on the African continent.
As of Tuesday, South Africa recorded 373,628 confirmed cases and 5,713 related deaths, according to official figures. - Africa
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