South Africa’s Covid-19 cases jump to 3465

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South Africa’s Covid-19 cases jump to 3465

8:57 CAT | 22 Apr 2020

TESTS: The confirmed number of Covid-19 cases stand at 3465.

South Africa now has 3 465 confirmed cases of Covid-19, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed on Tuesday.

This is an increase of 165 new infections on Monday’s 3300 confirmed Covid-19 cases. The total number of deaths from the virus still stands 58, with no new deaths reported on Tuesday.

The minister said over 125 000 tests had been conducted nationwide.

Later on Tuesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on social and economic relief measures that will be taken as the virus continues to cause severe damage to the economy.

South Africa is currently on Day 26 of its lockdown which is expected to come to an end at the end of April, but Ramaphosa could still yet extend the lockdown longer if he deems it fit do so. He is expected to take advice from several stakeholders ahead of making the decision.

In the past seven days, South Africa has seen its cases rise by 1028 (excluding Tuesday’s new 165 cases).

This has seen SA’s numbers rise in the following manner since April 14: 143 new infections, 91, 99, 178, 251, 124 and 142.

Meanwhile, Mkhize also revealed that the Western Cape had become the second province to have more than 1000 confirmed cases of the Covid-19.

BREAKDOWN

Gauteng – 1199 cases

Western Cape – 1010

KZN – 671

Eastern Cape- 345

Free State – 106

Limpopo – 27

North West – 24

Mpumalanga – 24

Northern Cape – 16

Unallocated 43

Mkhize was speaking from the Eastern Cape on Tuesday. He indicated that there was a need to rethink funerals, warning that funerals posed a great Covid-19 risk.

He said in some cultures, dead bodies were washed at home before burial, but he said this could not be done as the virus could be passed on from a dead body to the living.

He also said there was a view that bodies should not be allowed to go home before burial. He also said they were other heightened risks, such as the sharing of spoons for dishing up food and shovels at burial sites, which heightened the risk of the spread of the disease.

“We must address this because it is giving us a problem. We need to address this and change the way we do things,” he said.

“The disease is beaten with knowledge and working together. What will help us is listening to each other. We must get used to social distancing if we want to defeat this disease. We must speak the same message – whether it is the mayor, amakhosi,” said Mkhize.

Source: Independent Online