South Africa

'The second wave is going to be a tsunami': Mzansi reacts to SA's highest daily hike in Covid infections

24 December 2020 - 11:30 By cebelihle bhengu
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Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has warned South Africans not to let their guard down.
Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has warned South Africans not to let their guard down.
Image: Photo by Gallo Images/Phill Magakoe

The latest statistics on Covid-19 cases in SA have left South Africans shocked, with some calling on the government to bring back the hard lockdown.

Health minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Wednesday that SA registered more than 14,000 new cases, the highest number of daily infections of the pandemic so far.

The cumulative number of cases in SA is 954,258.

Mkhize said the spread of the virus is much faster in the second wave than it was in the first. He warned that SA will surpass the peak of the first wave in the coming days. The minister urged South Africans to adhere to precautionary measures and fight the further spread of the virus.

“We can never stress enough the need for citizens to take every precaution necessary as we celebrate the festive season and look for a reprieve from a tough year. Unfortunately, Covid-19 is unrelenting and we therefore can't afford to be complacent at this stage.

“We urge all South Africans to adhere to the regulations and recommendations pertaining to the national state of disaster, avoid large gatherings and congested environments, ensure adequate ventilation in venues where they gather and vigilantly adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions,” said the minister in a statement.

Social media was abuzz with reaction to the latest virus figures, with some users predicting that if South Africans don't do more to try to curb the spread of Covid-19, 2021 might be even worse.

Here are some of the reactions:

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