Speaking to Rapport, Dr Robyn Reed, a general practitioner from Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal, said she and the nurse who assisted her are spending two weeks in self-isolation.

“But I feel absolutely fine and my nurse and I are not ill. I am doing some gardening and find all the fuss quite irritating,” Reed told Rapport.

Reed, who examined the first coronavirus-positive South African, on Friday

Isolation vs quarantine

The Department of Health explained the difference between isolation and quarantine.

“Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to stop or limit the spread of disease.

“Isolation is used to separate ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help stop the spread of certain diseases. For example, hospitals use isolation for patients with infectious tuberculosis.

“Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms. Quarantine can also help limit the spread of communicable disease.

“Isolation and quarantine are used to protect the public by preventing exposure to infected persons or to persons who may be infected.”