South Africa has introduced new regulations including a further ban on selling and distributing alcohol to help curb Coronavirus spread.
A night-time curfew has also been enforced, and wearing masks outdoor is now mandatory as the country has registered increases of more than 10,000 confirmed cases over several days and the current daily rise has been nearly 13,500.
President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced new restrictions while speaking on Sunday night, July 12, in a nationally televised speech.
“In the midst of our national effort to fight against this virus there are a number of people who have taken to organising parties, who have drinking sprees, and some who walk around in crowded spaces without masks,” he said.
Ramaphosa said top health officials have warned of impending shortages of hospital beds and oxygen as South Africa reaches a peak of COVID-19 cases. He said some hospitals have had to turn away patients because all their beds are full.
South Africa accounts for 40 percent of all the confirmed cases in Africa with 276,242 – an increase of 12,058 in one day. It has recorded 4,079 deaths, 25 percent of which have been in the past week, said Ramaphosa.
“While the surge of infections has been expected, the force and the speed with which it has progressed has, quite understandably, caused great concern,” said Ramaphosa. “Many of us are fearful of the danger this presents for ourselves, and for our families.”
According to Johns Hopkins University, South Africa’s rapid rise in confirmed cases has made it one of the world’s COVID-19 hubs as it is ranked 9th most affected by the disease.
With 276,242, South Africa accounts for 40% of all confirmed cases in Africa. While coronavirus deaths have also increased to more than 4,000.
