President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Reuters)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for Covid-19 and is receiving treatment for mild-Covid-19 symptoms.
This was announced by the presidency on Sunday evening on its website and its Twitter account.
Ramaphosa encouraged everyone in the country to get vaccinated, stating that his own infection served as a caution and that people should remain vigilant against exposure.
Ramaphosa, who is reportedly in good spirits, started feeling unwell after the state memorial service that was held in honour of former president FW de Klerk in Cape Town, earlier in the day.
The fully vaccinated Ramaphosa was one of the first people to get jabbed in February with the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine during the official rollout of the Sisonke implementation study on health workers.
According to the statement, Ramaphosa and his delegation returned from their West African states tour on 8 December and had all tested negative for Covid-19 in all of the countries that they visited.
The president is one of the 37 875 new Covid-19 cases that were reported on Sunday, 12 December.Â
Twenty-one people died from Covid-19 related illnesses on the same day.
While Ramaphosa is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service, his deputy, David Mabuza, will be the acting president for the next week.
Those who have had contact with Ramaphosa, have been advised to watch out for symptoms or get tested.