(5 minutes read)
· South African President Cyril Rampaphosa said that signs of a resurgence of coronavirus infections are noticeable in various parts of the country
· From 4,400 cases on 3rd December, the number of infections has risen to 8000, taking the cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 866,127
· Based on the recommendations of the experts, Ramaphosa informed that Cabinet has decided further restrictions need to be imposed nation-wide from midnight of Monday
South African President Cyril Rampaphosa said that signs of a resurgence of coronavirus infections are noticeable in various parts of the country. From 4,400 cases on 3rd December, the number of infections has risen to 8000, taking the cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country to 866,127.
Mentioning that the vault in the number of infection cases was a
matter of concern, President cautioned that South Africa has entered a second wave of coronavirus infections and called on the citizens to be supportive of the actions being taken by the government to control the spread of the pandemic.
Given the rate at which new cases have grown over the last two weeks, the president warned that there was every possibility of a strong second wave if people did not act collectively. The second wave will be more severe than the first one. He also shared that the daily average of Covid-19 deaths has increased by nearly 50% over the same period from just over 100 deaths a day to just over 150 deaths.
The four provinces that are leading the second wave are Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng and significantly, the infection was more noticed among the young population. Flagging the reasons for the spread of the pandemic, the president said gatherings – especially social gatherings and parties –were the largest source of outbreaks triggered by scant attention towards social distancing and lack of use of sanitizers, masks and other preventive care. Alcohol consumption in open places was another contributory factor. The festive season unfolding was another factor that can trigger large scale spread of the infection, he warned.
Based on the recommendations of the experts, Ramaphosa informed that Cabinet has decided further restrictions need to be imposed nation-wide from midnight of Monday.
The restrictions include drivers and operators of any form of public transport must ensure that all passengers wear a mask. Also, the managers or owners of buildings, places or premises – including retail stores, shopping centres and government buildings – are obliged by law to ensure that all customers who enter their facilities or buildings wear a mask. An employer must ensure that all employees wear a mask while they perform their duties. Gatherings – including religious gatherings – may not be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 for outdoor events.
