Stringent lockdown measures likely in S. Africa as COVID-19 cases surge

JOHANNESBURG - As the number of COVID-19 cases increased by 11,093 over the past 24 hours in South Africa, tighter lockdown measures to curb the spread of the virus have been discussed.

With four provinces already experienced the third wave, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that the issue of tightening existing lockdown measures was being considered.

"The issue of moving into another level is something that will be discussed by the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCC). The NCC will meet and make recommendations," Ramaphosa said at a briefing in Cape Town.

He said the situation was worrying in Gauteng.

"Clearly there seems to be indications that we've got to increase the changes particularly in Gauteng."

According to the the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), over 10,000 people with the coronavirus were being treated in hospitals. Most of the new cases were registered in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

The NICD reported 11,093 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 1,843,572. This increase represents a 23.7 percent positivity rate. A further 297 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 59,092 to date.