The president says SA can expect the total number of cases to pass 50,000 this week, and the 1,000th death
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans not to be alarmed and to prepare for an expected rapid increase in Covid-19 infections.
Ramaphosa said South Africans can draw “some comfort” from the knowledge that the nationwide lockdown achieved the objective of delaying the spread of the virus, and gave the government time to prepare health facilities and interventions for the expected increase in infections. The president said he was pleased to realise that a high percentage of South Africans wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with other people and wear face masks whenever they go out in public. However, he said social distancing in public places still remained a major challenge.
“They are increasing the number of beds by setting up field hospitals, including at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. “This provides the clearest evidence yet that we are correct to treat coronavirus as a national disaster. We must mobilise and deploy all the necessary resources we have in the country. We need an integrated strategy that brings together the national, provincial and local spheres of government,” he said.
“It is for this reason also that people are not permitted to travel between provinces while the country is at alert level 3, except under specific circumstances and with the necessary permits,” he said.
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