The number of confirmed coronavirus cases has reached 1170, an increase of 270 cases since Thursday, the South African government confirmed.
Minister in the presidency, Jackson Mthembu, said on Friday evening that health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize had asked him to relay the figure.
Earlier on Friday, it was announced that two people had died as a result of Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
However, Mthembu clarified that one of the deaths was confirmed to be linked to Covid-19. The second case, he said, was linked to Covid-19 but had not yet been confirmed.
In light of the Coronavirus pandemic, The National Coronavirus Command Council has decided to enforce a 21-day nation-wide lockdown with effect from midnight on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday.
In a televised address to the nation, the President announced that the lockdown is necessary in order to save lives in light of the Coronavirus.
“This is a decisive measure to save millions of South Africans from infection and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. While this measure will have a considerable impact on people’s livelihoods, on the life of our society and on our economy, the human cost of delaying this action would be far, far greater,” said President Ramaphosa.
Under the lockdown, South Africans will be required to stay at home from midnight on Thursday 26 March2020, until midnight on Thursday 16 April 2020
