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The Health Department and scientists urge South Africans not to be complacent, as the number of infections could still rise if social distancing regulations are not followed.
FILE: A Dis-Chem Pharmacy healthcare professional collects a nasal swab for a COVID-19 coronavirus test at a testing site in a mall in Centurion on April 9, 2020. Image: AFP
JOHANNESBURG – Two weeks after the second level of lockdown, the country has seen nearly 33,000 new infections due to the reopening of restaurants, nightclubs and other entertainment sectors.
According to Department of Health records, 1,764 people have died after contracting COVID-19 during the past fortnight.
South Africa entered a harsh lockdown five months ago, which brought many businesses to their knees and led to staff cuts across the country.
Over the weekend, many South Africans received their first paycheck in months under the level two lockdown, allowing social activity to resume.
The Health Department and scientists urge South Africans not to be complacent, as the number of infections could still rise if social distancing regulations are not followed.
Gauteng has seen an increase of nearly 9,000 new cases since level two went into effect.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded more than 6,000 new cases during the same period, while the Western Cape added 3,000 infections to its list.
On the positive side, the recovery rate has increased by 4% and is now at 86%.
South Africa also fell to sixth place on the global COVID-19 scale after falling below Peru on Friday.
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