Today's stats don't have any deaths. Yesterday evening, 5 minutes after minister announced stats & 1 death from Western Cape, I received call from Charlotte Maxeke. My husband's cousin Benedict Somi Vilakazi succumbed to #Covid_19 (between 6:30 &7pm). I personally took the call https://twitter.com/DrZweliMkhize/status/1249384781974056960

A BIG thank you to health care workers at Leratong hospital, who first received our cousin. A BIG thank you to staff at Charlotte Maxeke. We know you did your best & continue to do so for others. Thank you for your courtesy & sensitivity when you guided us through process

I am sharing this to educate others, to share our journey & to help officials identify if there is any need for further tracing, based on our cousin's journey. This is not a debate. It is not criticism. There's nothing to criticize. I am sharing Somi's steps with love & grace

Somi had no history of travel. He lived & worked in Soweto. He recently opened a coffee shop at the Hector Peterson Memorial. He was so proud. We can only suspect that he interacted with some tourists. We simply don't know & make no definite claims. He had no preexisting issues

15th March, president addressed us. Somi immediately closed coffee shop BEFORE lockdown. But he attended funeral next door on 19th & one in Limpopo on 21st. All before lockdown on 26th & with social distancing. On drive back from Limpopo he felt weak & fatigued. Flu symptoms 22nd

Given incubation factor, he is unlikely to have contracted virus at funerals on 19th & 21st. Symptoms showed on 21st so likely contracted a week to 2 weeks before. That's why we suspect coffee shop. "Suspect" is key word here. 23rd, he went to a GP in Protea (worth tracing?)

Diagnosed with flu. 26th, went back to GP saying he feels worse. No Covid test. Here's where it gets interesting. 31st he goes to a hospital in Krugersdorp. They test for Covid19. NEGATIVE. NEGATIVE. He goes home, self isolates. His wife and son go to another home, just in case.

April 5th he is in bad shape & goes to different hospital, Leratong. Admitted & tested again. Pneumonia and Covid19 diagnosed on 7th. He is immediately taken to Charlotte Maxeke. He had not been anywhere between first Covid test (negative) and second test because he was so sick.

On 9th April he is in ICU. 11th April put on a poly mask in the morning. His lungs are battling. In the evening, he dies. He was 56. I repeat, I'm just sharing so that officials zero in & check where to trace. Funerals? GP? Coffee shop? I just want to help. We are not fighting

Hospital was so gracious as they explained logistics. He must be buried within 3 days. No one must touch him & his body must not be viewed or enter his house. He can pass by on his way to cemetery. The irony. The guy who attended everyone's funeral. I teased him about it

Always pitching to support & send others along final journey. Today he goes without so many who loved him. He raised 5 year old son when 1st wife died suddenly 2005. He is not a statistic. But ours; loved & adored. He recently remarried & love reigned supreme. That's what matters

I'm signing off to avoid debates. There are no definite answers & no accusations. Everyone is doing their best & overwhelmed. But most importantly, I'm signing off for now because my husband is hurting. They were very close. Brian is all love & he needs me now. Thank you all