COVID 19 has become a prominent issue throughout the world today. With hundreds of thousands of cases all around the world. Everyone has been urged to protect themselves and their loved ones by breaking the chain of transmission through social distancing. The coronavirus spreads with contact with patients or carriers which is why the worldwide stay-at-home campaign would be very effective if strictly adhered to.
The first coronavirus case in South Africa was announced on March 5, 2020, by Zweli Mkhize the Minister of Health. In response to the state of things in the country, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster which came with travel advisories, closing of schools, partial travel ban, restricting public transports, and banning gatherings with too many people.
Later, on March 23, the president issued a national lockdown. This lockdown was scheduled to last for 21 days and end on the 16th of April. This was a desperate attempt to step in and save the situation as things were becoming really bad in the country. currently, as of March 30, South Africa has confirmed coronavirus cases of about 1,300 and 3 deaths.
In the first week of March 2020, the first confirmed coronavirus patient in South Africa returned from Metropolitan City in Italy with his wife and eight other people. Two days after, the patient reported with symptoms to a private general practitioner and then he went into self-isolation as well as the doctor. On March 5, Zweli Mkhize, the Minister of Health, announced his to be the first confirmed case
A woman from the same travel group from Italy also had the virus. It was on March 7 that her case was announced. Six more cases of COVID 19 were reported about 4 days later. On March 12, 3 new cases were confirmed in the Western Cape Province. The next day, 3 other cases were reported. The total cases after then were 16.
On the 15th of March, the first of the local transmitters were announced by the president. As well, the first coronavirus case from Limpopo province was reported. On March 17, the government labs announced the first confirmed cases of local transmission. They were 4 in Gauteng, 1 in the Western Cape, and 3 in KwaZulu-Natal. The next day, the first local transmission case in Mpumalanga was announced. On March 20, there were 7 cases in the Free State Province.
March 21 saw the number of confirmed coronavirus cases reach 240 in South Africa. The first case in the Eastern Cape province was also reported. At this point, seven out of South Africa’s nine provinces had seen cases of COVID 19. On March 24, the first case of coronavirus in the Northern Cape and North West provinces were announced. Hence, all nine provinces had confirmed cases. The President, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced a 21-day national lockdown which began on March 27.
As of March 30, there are about 1,300 of coronavirus cases in South Africa. Everyone can only hope, pray and act so that things will get better. Stay home and stay safe.
