Covid-19 cases up to 1,326 in SA, as third death is recorded

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has risen to 1,326 - and three people are confirmed to have died from the respiratory illness.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night revealed the new statistics.

He was addressing the nation four days into the 21-day nationwide lockdown, which was set up to respond to the spread of the coronavirus and the Covid-19 illness it causes.

Ramaphosa lauded South Africa Africans for staying at home, but also cautioned those who thought they were immune to contracting the virus.

"South Africans have, for the most part, responded positively to this decision by staying at home and exercising the greatest of care. We are concerned by those who have not yet appreciated the seriousness of this disease," he said.

"I am once again calling on South Africans to stay at home for the next 17 days. If you do have to go out, do everything you can not to get infected and not to infect anyone else.

"It is very real and poses a real danger to all of us ... rich and poor, young and old, black and white, those in cities and those in rural areas."

Ramaphosa sent his condolences to the families of the three South Africans who have died as a result of Covid-19.

"In the last few days, three South Africans have died from this disease. There are now 1,326 confirmed cases in South Africa," he said.

On Sunday night, the health ministry announced that the number of Covid-19 cases had risen to 1,280 - and that two people had died from the illness.

Details of the third case were not provided.