This was revealed by the provincial Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha, during a media briefing on Tuesday 24 March 2020, when he shed more light on the events that led to five cases in the province.

He says a 21-year-old female, who tested positive for the virus in the province, came in contact with international visitors during a service at the Divine Restoration Ministries, where five international guests tested positive for Covid19. Sambatha says today the province has five confirmed cases, one more than the four announced by the minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, yesterday. Sambatha says the patient is from Bloemhof in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district and is currently asymptomatic and is self-isolating.

While addressing the media this morning, Mkhize said the tracing of over 400 people suspected to have been in contact with the Coronavirus patients at a church at this gathering was proving to be a headache for the Department of Health's tracing team. He confirmed that his tracing team is posed with a challenge in its effort to track and trace these people. He added that this as many of those are now believed to have gone back to their respective communities and this makes it difficult for the tracing team.

His utterance comes as the Free State recorded 5 new cases of the virus, taking the tally from 13 to 18, as announced on Monday 23 March 2020. Mkhize said one patient was moved from private isolation to the designated provincial government isolation centre at Pelonomi. 

These five international guests, which include two from Texas in the United States, two from Israel and one from France, had tested positive for Covid-19, as a result, four more people tested positive and it then took the tally to 13. On Saturday the provincial Health MEC, Montsheng Tsiu, went on to report that of the 62 people screened for the virus, 9 displayed symptoms and were tested. The department's spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, now confirmed that of this nine, four tested positive. 

Well-known writer and evangelist, Angus Buchan, and leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Kenneth Meshoe, were amongst those attending the gathering. Meshoe, who on Sunday announced he would undergo testing for the novel coronavirus, was amongst other political leaders who met with Ramaphosa, coincidentally regarding the coronavirus, less than a week after he was at the Bloemfontein gathering.

Meanwhile, Sambatha said one patient is from Mahikeng, two from Rustenburg and one from Bloemhof.  "The fifth case is new, has just been announced today.  We, therefore, are still tracking details of this case and will announce as information is received, " he adds.

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