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How Bok legend Danie Gerber and daughter are fighting coronavirus

Danie Gerber's daughter Elanie has revealed how she and her father are battling the coronavirus.

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Gerber, 61, and his 36-year-old daughter both tested positive for the disease last Friday and are recovering at their family home in Bluewater Bay, Port Elizabeth.

Gerber's wife Elsabe tested negative and is staying at a friend's nearby house as her husband and daughter self-isolate.

"My head hurts and I sometimes feel nauseous, while my body also feels strange - almost like a restless leg feeling. Dad's body hurts, but fatigue is the biggest problem," Elanie told Afrikaans publication Maroela Media on Tuesday.

Elanie said she and her father also steamed themselves regularly.

"We saw a video of a doctor in America who had the virus and he said steaming works well to counteract it. We also take medication to boost our immune system while drinking plenty of tea.

"I think Dad is drinking stuff nowadays that he has never drunk before," she chuckled, before warning people to adhere to the lockdown laws. "Stay home. At the same time, we also want to tell people not to live in fear."

It was reported last week that Gerber had played golf with former 1981 Springbok team-mates in Jan Kempdorp just days before testing positive for Covid-19.

Three of his team-mates have since also tested positive, Sport24 reported.

Due to South Africa's sporting isolation during apartheid, Gerber's international career was limited to 24 Tests for the Springboks between 1980 and 1992.

However, he made enough of an impact for many pundits to regard him as one of the most gifted centres ever to play international rugby.

He was a powerful runner with ball in hand and had a side-step and swerve not often seen in the modern game. It helped him to an impressive 19 tries in 24 Tests for his country.

At domestic level, Gerber played 115 games for Eastern Province, but also had stints with Western Province (40) and Free State (24).

South Africa is currently in a 21-day lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic and Super Rugby has also been suspended indefinitely.

- Compiled by Herman Mostert

Gerbers

Elanie and Danie Gerber with the late Joost van der Westhuizen in 2015... (Photo: Facebook)

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