Covid-19: South Africa passes the million-case mark and makes the mask mandatory
Caregivers are demonstrating for more resources in South Africa in the face of the spread of the coronavirus.
June 19, 2020. REUTERS / Mike Hutchings
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
South Africa, the country most affected on the continent by the coronavirus, crossed the million mark this weekend, since the start of the epidemic.
The country is currently experiencing a second wave, with a variant of the virus that appears to be more contagious and responsible for the majority of new cases.
New restrictions were announced this Monday, December 28.
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg,
Claire Bargelès
The record of 14,000 daily cases was reached last week and South Africa now has more than 26,000 deaths.
While the end of year celebrations and the summer holidays generate gatherings as well as the relaxation of sanitary measures, the government has decided to tighten the screws, a few days before the New Year.
Cyril Ramaphosa
addressed this Monday evening to the Nation.
Despite this supposedly festive time of the year, the president said, visibly moved, that there was "
little to celebrate this year
", while the situation is increasingly worrying.
Masks are becoming increasingly rare
Since the beginning of the month, the government has been content to regularly remind people of the importance of barrier gestures.
However, masks continued to be rarer, in public places and parties have multiplied at the end of the year, sometimes bringing together hundreds of people.
The acceleration of infections and the appearance of
this variant of the virus
will therefore have pushed the government to toughen up.
"
We have let our guard down and we are now paying the price,
" said the head of state.
Level 3 alert state and more stringent measures
From this Monday evening midnight, the country - so far in level 1 health alert - returns to level 3, which implies the return of more stringent measures.
In the first place is the ban on the sale of alcohol, again implemented to prevent hospital beds, already submerged, from being occupied by accidents.
With a few exceptions, gatherings, indoors or outdoors, are again prohibited and the curfew extends from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
The president thus encourages South Africans to find other ways to celebrate New Year's Eve, than going out to party.
Finally, he indicates that the non-wearing of a mask in a public place is now a criminal offense.
On the other hand, Cyril Ramaphosa did not report any restrictions on movement or the closure of borders.
► See also: South Africa facing a new variant of Covid-19
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