On Wednesday 26 February the World Health Organization indicated that the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak has infected approximately 81 109 people worldwide, and killed 2 762.

The new virus was first detected late last year in Wuhan City, China, and has since spread to 37 countries.  

North-West University (NWU) academic and virologist in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Dr Hazel Tumelo Mufhandu, recently presented a public lecture on the Coronavirus outbreak.

Her lecture titled “All about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)”, was aimed at telling the public more about the virus.

Dr Mufhandu talked about the genetic make-up of the virus, its evolution and relation to other similar viruses (SARS CoV and MERS CoV), as well as the naming of the novel virus (SARS CoV-2) and the disease it causes (COVID-19).

She also spoke about the findings of a large study, recently undertaken in China and published in the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) journal in February 2020, and the impact of the virus outbreak on the global economy.

Dr Mufhandu shared the latest statistics of the spreading of the virus globally, and made the audience aware of the myths surrounding it. Even though the virus has reached Africa, she said South Africans should not be alarmed, as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases that serves as the surveillance centre for all communicable diseases on the African continent, is monitoring the situation constantly.

About the expert

Dr Hazel Tumelo Mufhandu is a virologist and currently a senior lecturer and leader of the Microbiology subject group at the NWU’s campus in Mahikeng.

She holds a PhD in medical virology from the University of the Witwatersrand.

She heads the medical virology laboratory to facilitate postgraduate research as well as the teaching and learning of BSc undergraduate students.

Her virology niche area is HIV/Aids and Hepatitis research. She previously worked at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the HIV/Aids Immunology Laboratory.

 Virologist Dr Hazel Tumelo Mufhandu presents a public lecture on the Coronavirus.