The doctor who examined the first coronavirus-positive South African has called for calm and warned people not to panic because the illness was similar to the flu.

Dr Robyn Reed, who is based in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal and who is herself quarantined, said the patient is recovering and his family did not appear to be infected.

On Thursday, South Africa confirmed its first case of coronavirus, a man from Hilton, who had visited Italy on holiday. The man, his wife and two children are all quarantined. Schools in Hilton closed on Friday among some public hysteria. Members of the public were seen wearing protective masks. on Friday that Covid-19 and the flu shared similar symptoms.

“The patient himself is currently much better. I phoned his wife [on Friday] morning and she said he is doing very well. The wife and two children are currently fine. The family was tested this morning by the National Institute [for] Communicable Diseases.”

Reed said her staff was checked on Friday. “This is hugely blown out of proportion. People are making a huge hysterical panic about something that is a very bad flu. Most of the people who are going to get over it like they get over the flu.”