A Gauteng family of three – two of whom had tested positive for coronavirus – had to be tracked down by police after refusing to be quarantined.

The husband refused to take the test after his wife and daughter tested positive for the novel Covid-19 yesterday and left the health facility.

It was not immediately clear whether they had recently travelled but the Gauteng health department obtained an urgent court order in the early hours of Tuesday morning to track down the family.

According to the department’s spokesperson Kwara Kekana, the court order was taken to the police who tracked down the family around midday today.

“We can confirm that there was a family that refused to be quarantined. The wife and daughter tested positive to the virus while the husband refused to be tested and left the hospital without swabs taken,” Kekana said.

“The department approached the court last night on an urgent basis… the court order was granted at 1am this morning. As a result the matter was reported to the SAPS to trace the family. We are pleased that the family was found around 12h30 this afternoon and is currently being attended to at a designated health facility.”

As it stands a total of 62 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the country, 31 of whom are Gauteng residents.

The highly contagious virus that is currently spreading across the country has been declared a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize last week said that people who refused to be quarantined may be taken to court. – Sowetan