Eastern Cape Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, has warned against fake news regarding covid-19 infections.
She said that the 28-year-old woman who was the province's first confirmed case after having travelled to Germany, was not up and about as had been reported in the media and on social media, but has been quarantined in a private hospital.
In a statement following a joint media briefing with the SA Council of Churches on Monday, the MEC called on authorities to enforce disaster regulations amid the reports that the woman had "released herself from self-quarantine and allegedly lamented about her rights".
However, on Tuesday MEC Gomba said that after speaking to her doctor, a different picture emerged.
She said the doctor had "vehemently denied" that the woman was "up and about" adding that "for us as a Department to ensure that our people are not exposed we only gave an instruction that they should take the lady away from voluntary quarantine into formal quarantine."
"She is now in a private hospital quarantined for 14 days," Gomba said.
The MEC said 'fake news' causes anxiety in communities who become paranoid because of it.
The National Department of Health has confirmed just two cases of covid-19 in the Eastern Cape so far.
The other patient is a 22-year-old male.
