President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed, on Thursday 26 March, that there are now more than 900 confirmed coronavirus cases in South Africa. Just 24 hours ago, on Wednesday 25 March, the number stood at 709.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the exact number, as of Thursday is 927, meaning that there has been a rise of 218.
The nation, in just a few hours, can expect a nationwide lockdown for a period of 21 days. All South Africans, except for essential services staff, are expected to remain indoors in their respective homes.
“We fear that it may rise much higher than this,” said Ramaphosa.
Coronavirus cases as of Thursday 26 March
How we wish there were no more increases, Mkhize, in all fairness, did warn us. He said that the country should expect more confirmed cases and for the number to rise despite the nationwide lockdown.
Although the nation has been urged to practice social distancing and self-isolation to combat the spread of coronavirus, some citizens are more preoccupied with stocking up their freezers. Many supermarkets have seen long queues outside their stores ahead of the lockdown.
Many South African citizens have also been trying to get home before the lockdown set to take place at midnight on Thursday.
The silver lining, in the midst of all the madness, is that Ramaphosa has tested negative for coronavirus. The president received the good news on Wednesday evening.
Latest coronavirus cases by province
The latest provincial breakdown of coronavirus cases are as follows:
- Gauteng now has a total of 409 confirmed cases;
- The Western Cape now has a total of 229 confirmed cases;
- KwaZulu-Natal has 134 cases;
- Free State has 49 cases;
- North West now has five confirmed coronavirus cases;
- Mpumalanga has nine cases;
- Limpopo has six cases;
- The Eastern Cape has five cases;
- The Northern Cape has two cases; and
- There are 79 unallocated cases.
Latest Confirmed #COVID19 cases as at 26 March 2020 pic.twitter.com/J0ujhFPSb5
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) March 26, 2020
Tracing efforts hampered
Mkhize also addressed some “administrative” difficulties regarding the unallocated cases:
“South Africans would have noted that as the number of confirmed cases increase, some cases were unallocated by province, age or gender. This is because the NICD not only has the responsibility of analysing data from each laboratory, but has found itself searching for the missing patient information of the confirmed cases.
“This has proven to be an administrative burden that, if not rectified, will hamper our efforts to immediately be in contact with patients who have tested positive, determine whether they require hospitalisation or can be treated in self-quarantine and more importantly trace all other individuals that they have been in direct contact with.”
Zweli Mkhize
SAPS and SANDF deployed
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, during the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster briefing on Wednesday 25 March, said that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would assist police in enforcing the coronavirus lockdown.
Mapisa-Nqakula said it would assist in the following ways:
- SANDF will assist SAPS with implementation measures, in other words, don’t leave your house;
- The army will assist police with roadblocks;
- SANDF will assist with foot patrols;
- The military will safeguard borders and ports of entry; and
- Conduct cordon and search operations.
SAPS and SANDF have since been deployed.
Source: The South African Read More
