COVID-19 WRAP | New Covid-19 restrictions in place 'with immediate effect'

December 14 2020 - 22:15

'We'll soon hit a million': SA records 5,100 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours at 20% positivity rate

SA recorded 5,163 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, but it is the positivity rate of more than 20% that will be most alarming.

The new cases came from just 25,049 tests, meaning that around one in every five tests done in the past 24-hour cycle came back with a positive result. Previously, alarm bells sounded when the positivity rate was at 12%.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 infections countrywide, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday was 866,127.

December 14 2020 - 21:53

Beach, no: Ramaphosa closes beaches in Eastern Cape, Garden Route and on specific days in KZN

There will be no going to the beach this December for the people of the Eastern Cape and in the Western Cape's Garden Route — and beach days will be banned on specific days in KwaZulu-Natal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Monday night as he presented new measures to curb the rapid spread of Covid-19 across SA, as the country battled a second wave of the killer respiratory disease.

December 14 2020 - 21:39

Covid-19 vaccine for '10% of our population' ready early next year, says Ramaphosa

About 10% of the country's population will have access to a Covid-19 vaccine “in the early part of next year”.

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was speaking during an address to the nation on Monday night.

He said there was no doubt that a second infection wave was hitting the country, and called on South Africans to wear masks, sanitise, wash hands and maintain social distances to try to limit the spread of the virus. This, he said, was the best defence until a vaccine was available.

December 14 2020 - 21:26

Want to buy booze? Ramaphosa says alcohol sales only allowed Monday to Thursday, 10am to 6pm

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday announced that alcohol sales at retail outlets will be restricted to Mondays to Thursdays between 10am and 6pm, with immediate effect.

This was part of a string of new restrictions he announced during an address to the nation on Monday night.

“On-site consumption of alcohol at licensed establishments is not permitted after 10pm. No consumption of alcohol is permitted in public spaces such as parks and beaches,” said the president.

This was one of the focus areas he covered in his speech, which lasted 30 minutes.

December 14 2020 - 21:19

IN FULL | Restrictions, tightened curfew and pleas for obedience: Ramaphosa's full address to SA

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday warned of a bleak festive season unless South Africans bucked up and started taking Covid-19 protocols seriously.

During his 30-minute address to the nation, Ramaphosa announced restrictions on alcohol sales, a tighter curfew and a ban on large public events.

December 14 2020 - 21:16

Two new hotspots announced as Ramaphosa reads the Covid riot act

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday that two other municipalities have been identified as hotspots and will face stricter restrictions.

Ramaphosa announced that the Garden Route district in the Western Cape and the Sarah Baartman district in the Eastern Cape had been identified as hotspots following a visit by health minister Zweli Mkhize last week.

This takes the number to three hotspot municipalities, after Nelson Mandela Bay was identified less than two weeks ago.

December 14 2020 - 20:38

Ramaphosa clamps down on gatherings and alcohol sales as he tightens curfew

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday tightened up national Covid-19 restrictions, including on alcohol sales and large gatherings.

The restrictions kick in from midnight, he said.

Of particular concern, he said, were large gatherings, which had the potential to become “super-spreader events”.

December 14 2020 - 20:38

If we don't act responsibility, we face a bleak Christmas

"Unless we act responsibility now, unless we adhere at all times to the basic precautions that we all know, we will face a bleak New Year," President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday night.

He said that, despite tightened restrictions, the holiday season can be safe and festive.

"I'm asking you to keep your celebrations small ... If you are spending time with other people, I ask that you do so outside, enjoying this splendid South African weather. Or, at the least, to make sure that you are in a well-ventilated space if you are inside," he said.

December 14 2020 - 20:25

Fresh nationwide Covid-19 restrictions put in place 'with immediate effect'

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that stricter restrictions were kicking in from midnight.

"Current restrictions on the size of gatherings do not do enough to prevent crowding. Therefore, gatherings, including religious gatherings, may not be attended by more than 100 people for indoor events and 250 people for outdoor events," said Ramaphosa.

After tears events have also been banned.

Ramaphosa also announced strict rules around the use of public parks and beaches.

He said that in areas with "higher rates of infections", beaches and public parks will be closed for the duration of the festive season.

"This will apply specifically to all of the Eastern Cape and the Garden Route district of the WC. In KZN, beaches and public parks will be closed on what are the busiest days of the season - on December 16, 25, 26, 31, and on January 1 to 3," he said.

December 14 2020 - 20:20

Festive season is crucial, and we have to remain disciplined: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that "extraordinary measures" were needed as the Covid-19 second wave hit the country. 

"If we do not do things differently this festive season ... some will get severely ill and some, tragically, will also die. Unless we think differently, this will be the last Christmas for many, many South Africans," he said.

The president said on Monday that the Covid-19 spread over the festive season was a serious risk. 

"The festive season now causes the greatest threat to the health and wellness of our nation, also to the recovery of our economy," said Ramaphosa.

December 14 2020 - 20:15

Ramaphosa slams partying, social gatherings and unnecessary travel

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday said that large events were "dangerous", citing the example of the recent matric Rage in KwaZulu-Natal. He said that more than 1,000 young people in Gauteng who had travelled to the KZN festival had since tested positive.

These events, he said, "were proving to be sources of infection and illness and may even be sources of deaths".

Ramaphosa added that travel was also causing spread of the virus. He said it was safer to socialise with immediate family, rather than "large gatherings".

December 14 2020 - 20:10

Ramaphosa: 'We're getting very close to 900,000 and we'll not hit one million'

Shortly after 8pm, President Cyril Ramaphosa began his address to the nation. He immediately warned that the second wave of Covid-19 infections was upon the country.

"There is every possibility that if we do not act urgently and we do not act together, the second wave will be even more severe than the first wave," said Ramaphosa.

December 14 2020 - 18:42

IN PICS | Long queues at some Durban hospitals where many staff are booked off with Covid-19

Scores of patients, many of whom didn't observe social distancing, waited outside Durban’s Addington hospital on Monday.

There were about 200 people waiting for their monthly check-ups on the hot summer morning.

The reason for the long queue was explained on Sunday by provincial health MEC Nomagugu Simelane Zulu, who said that 38 staff members had tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of December at the hospital. They comprised five doctors, 11 nursing staff, an allied worker and 21 support staff members.

December 14 2020 - 15:45

Pleas for the president: Don't shut us down, say alcohol, tourism industries

The alcohol and tourism industries have made an impassioned plea to President Cyril Ramaphosa not to close them down or impose further restrictions on them.

The pleas come ahead of a scheduled address on Monday night, just days after the country officially entered into a second wave of Covid-19 infections. 

The industries have vowed to adopt a “no-nonsense” approach during the festive season in a bid to safeguard lives, protect 415,000 jobs and continue to support more than a million people who depend on them for survival.

December 14 2020 - 13:53

Cricket SA calls off domestic match after Covid-19 scare at Boxing Day Test venue

The venue that is set to host the Boxing Day Test between the Proteas and Sri Lanka‚ SuperSport Park in Centurion‚ has forced the cancellation of an ongoing domestic match after producing a positive Covid-19 result.

A top-of-the-table 4-Day Domestic Series match between the Titans and the Dolphins was called off on Monday following a positive result from tests conducted on the previous day.

The match started on Sunday with both teams welcoming back their Proteas players but the fixture is now in limbo.

December 14 2020 - 13:14

'The place was packed': police crack down on liquor outlets in Gauteng

Police shut down nine illegal liquor outlets and arrested more than 1,000 people in Gauteng at the weekend.

The safer festive season operation was carried out in Soshanguve and Rietgat by provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela and Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko.

December 14 2020 - 12:58

Flying overseas for the holidays? Don't get stranded, warns Naledi Pandor

International relations and co-operation minister Naledi Pandor has cautioned South Africans travelling to countries where Covid-19 is surging that they could be stranded if international flights are cancelled.

Pandor was speaking during Monday's briefing on international developments for 2020.

She said more than 30,000 South Africans stranded across the globe during the initial wave of the pandemic had to be repatriated, using more than 350 flights, between the level 5 lockdown in March and the time when international travel was allowed again under level 1 in SA.

December 14 2020 - 12:23

Duchess Meghan celebrates 'quiet heroes' of Covid-19 pandemic

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has paid tribute to the “quiet heroes” of the Covid-19 pandemic who ensured their communities' “most basic needs were met”.

The duchess made these remarks during a surprise appearance during the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute special, which aired on Sunday.

CNN Heroes honours ordinary people committed to make the world a better place and is usually broadcast in front of a live audience, but this year, due to Covid-19, was pre-recorded.

December 14 2020 - 12:04

POLL | Booze ban, beach closure or extended curfews - what do you think Ramaphosa will say tonight?

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to hold a “family meeting” on Monday evening, with speculation rife about whether he will reintroduce stricter lockdown regulations.

Ramaphosa is set to address the nation about the government's response to the second wave of Covid-19 infections in SA.

The presidency said the address comes after the national coronavirus command council (NCCC), the president’s co-ordinating council (PCC) and a special sitting of the cabinet held meetings on Sunday.

December 14 2020 - 11:52

Durban venue under fire after video of dancing crowd goes viral

A popular Durban hangout spot has come under fire after a video, showing dozens of patrons dancing without any social distancing, emerged online at the weekend. 

The video, which was taken at Eyadini Lounge in Umlazi, south of Durban, was posted on Twitter on Sunday, showing the patrons forming a human train and snaking through the packed venue. Other patrons are drinking and smoking while recording the entertainment.

December 14 2020 - 11:51

No need for Britons to stockpile food - UK business secretary

British business secretary Alok Sharma said on Monday he was confident food supply chains would hold up in the event that no post-Brexit trade deal with the EU was secured and said there was no need for consumers to stockpile.

"I'm very confident that actually the supply chains will still be in place," he told Sky News.

"I would say to everyone - do your normal shopping as you would do and I think we'll find we're going to be absolutely fine." 

December 14 2020 - 11:50

Italy considers new Covid-19 restrictions for the holidays

Italy is considering more stringent nationwide coronavirus restrictions during the Christmas and New Year holidays as concerns rise over a possible spike in infections in January.

After some restrictions put in place last month were eased, crowds of shoppers flocked to many city centres on Sunday, as Italy reported 484 coronavirus-related deaths.

On Saturday, Italy surpassed Britain as the European country with the worst death toll.

Covid-19 second wave: 5 things you need to know from Zweli Mkhize's update on the pandemic

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December 14 2020 - 10:27

US actor Tommy 'Tiny' Lister was eager to get the Covid-19 vaccine just days before he died

Shortly before he succumbed from Covid-19 related symptoms, US actor Tommy “Tiny” Lister spoke out about taking the vaccine.

The 62-year-old actor died on Thursday after experiencing Covid-19 symptoms.

In his last interview just days before his death, conducted by media personality Brandon Jays and shared with DailyMailTV, Lister shared details about how he was looking forward to getting the vaccine.

December 14 2020 - 10:26

Trial fails of ruxolitinib in Covid-19 complications - Novartis

Novartis said a late-stage clinical trial of ruxolitinib on top of standard therapy showed no significant reduction in severe complications of Covid-19, including death, respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation or admission to the intensive care unit.

The RUXCOVID trial also did not show relevant benefit for other endpoints including mortality rate by day 29 and time to recovery, the Swiss drugmaker said on Monday.

It was another setback as Novartis tries to repurpose drugs to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

December 14 2020 - 07:57

Eastern Cape health MEC tests positive for Covid-19

Eastern Cape health MEC Sindiswa Gomba has tested positive for Covid-19.

Provincial health department spokesperson Siyanda Manana said Gomba's Covid-19 results came back on Sunday.

“The MEC is at home in isolation as per the protocols for Covid-19,” said Manana.

December 14 2020 - 07:35

Med student Taz Emeran heads to the Covid-19 frontline after SA helps settle her R470k student debt

Mumtaaz "Taz" Emeran, the Wits University medical student who received more than R471,000 in donations from South Africans to help her cover her debt, says she is honoured to be one of the medical doctors who will serve SA during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Last week, Emeran witnessed history when South Africans helped her clear her student debt in 24 hours after she posted a video on Instagram asking for help. She had been informed by the university that she would not graduate unless she settled the debt.

She explained that she had funded her studies for the first three years before a sponsor offered to help her pay her fees. The sponsor allegedly never paid, leaving her hundreds of thousands of rand in arrears.

December 14 2020 - 07:19

SA records 7,999 new Covid-19 cases ahead of 'family meeting' with President Cyril Ramaphosa

On Sunday, health minister Zweli Mkhize said: “Regrettably, 170 more deaths related to Covid-19 have been reported: Eastern Cape 94, Free State 11, Gauteng three, KwaZulu-Natal four, Northern Cape four and Western Cape 54. This brings the total deaths to 23,276.”

December 14 2020 - 07:10

Closing beaches during festive season is an 'illogical political decision', says DA

The DA has opposed plans to close the country's beaches, saying the closure will potentially increase the spread of Covid-19.

December 14 2020 - 06:36

Eswatini's prime minister, who tested positive for Covid-19, dies

Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, who tested positive for COVID-19 four weeks ago, has died at age 52 after being hospitalised in neighbouring South Africa, the tiny absolute monarchy's government said late on Sunday.