Coronavirus: SA teacher quarantined in South Korean hospital after testing positive

A South African English teacher based in Daegu, South Korea, is in quarantine after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus. 

Hein Cloete, 39, has been teaching in South Korea since 2012.

His sister, Celesti Mathews, said Cloete tested for positive for the virus earlier this week.

“His contract of employment had expired, and he was heading home from Daegu, where the outbreak happened. Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, his temperature was high, and he tested positive for the coronavirus. He was then taken away and quarantined.

READ | ‘Coronavirus unlikely to come from repatriated South Africans’

“His cellphone has been taken away and we are struggling to contact him,” Mathews said.

She added she was unsure if Cloete was the only South African in South Korea who had tested positive.

“He only told me there was someone from England in his ward, but he does not know as he is not allowed to have access to the other patients.

Matthews said, however, that she had some difficulty getting information from the government about how to help her brother.

READ | OR Tambo airport’s screening of travellers gets the nod from MPs 

She pleaded with South African government officials to contact the South African Embassy in South Korea and contact the hospital where Cloete was admitted in order to update the family. 

Testing

“I think our government needs to do testing for all people coming from the five top countries with the most detected cases or start refusing travellers from those countries,” Mathews said.

Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS) earlier said that 184 South Africans have indicated their desire to be repatriated from coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China.

ALSO READ | Hunt for new facility as talks with Free State resort collapse

Most are students, teachers and other professionals currently working there.

Only seven South Africans have opted to remain in the city.

For more on the Coronavirus and other stories listen to our podcast here on SoundCloud.