Autopsies of SARS CoV-2 infection are uncommon due to safety reasons in Africa.
First autopsy of SARS CoV-2 in a young HIV infected patient without other co-morbidities.
The role of HIV in SARS-CoV-2 infection is still elusive.
The histopathological findings in this patient are similar to the non-infected.
Despite measures put in places to curb the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) across South Africa, there has been a rapid spread which caused extensive morbidity and mortality. Whilst there is currently increased COVID-19 associated death, autopsies on COVID positive individuals are not routinely performed. An autopsy was performed on a 19 years old African patient who was recently diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). He presented with clinical features of SARS-CoV-2 which subsequently tested positive for. Important histopathological findings included diffuse alveolar damage and fibrin thrombi. No superimposed infections were noted. The cause of death was attributed to COVID-19. We report the first autopsy case of HIV-infected individual with COVID-19 as the cause of death.