UPDATE: 'I believe I was on the same plane as the man that has the coronavirus'

In a statement confirming the positive test, the Health Department said the 38-year-old patient travelled to Italy with his wife. 

They were part of a group of 10 people and they arrived back in South Africa on 1 March.

"The patient consulted a private general practitioner on March 3, with symptoms of fever, headache, Malaise, a sore throat, and a cough. The practise nurse took swabs and delivered it to the lab," the statement says according to Jacaranda FM News. 

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The man, who lives in KwaZulu-Natal, has been self-isolating since March 3. The couple also has two children. 

Another man that was apparently on the same plane as the man that was tested positive for the virus - spoke to the Scenic Drive while he was waiting at the hospital to get tested for the virus. 

"I believe I was on the same plane as the man that was tested positive for the virus because my plane landed on the same day from Italy.

"I was actually the one with the dry cough on the plane. I picked up the flu in Italy.

"I went out of my own will to check things out. I am still waiting to be tested - but I am feeling a bit better now."

The plane landed in South Africa on the 1st of March. 

*On Friday, we received the message that the tests are negative. 

*The Scenic Drive received his boarding ticket and can confirm that he was on a plane to South Africa.