South Africa Extends Lockdown

The President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa has announced an extension of the country’s lockdown until at least the end of the month.

The country has been in a nationwide lockdown since late March. The lockdown was initially announced for a period of 21 days. During this time all South Africans were instructed to stay at home, unless seeking medical care, buying food or collecting a social grant. All shops and businesses are closed, except from pharmacies, laboratories, banks, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, supermarkets, petrol stations and healthcare providers.

Reacting to news of the extension the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) has warned that the move will lead to an economic disaster.

“Each death resulting from the virus is a tragedy. But so is each death resulting from caged citizens and frustrated law enforcers and so is each victim of home violence. And each malnourished child. And each newly unemployed South African,” the party has stated.

As of yesterday South Africa had 2,415 confirmed cases and 27 deaths.

According to the African Union’s Southern Africa Regional Collaborating Centre (RCC) the confirmed numbers for the virus in the Southern African region as of April 15 are as follows:

(Cases, Deaths, Recoveries)

Angola (19,2,2)

Botswana (13,1,0)

Eswatini (15,0,8)

Malawi (16,2,0)

Mozambique (28,0,2)

Namibia (16,0,3)

South Africa (2,415,27,410)

Zambia (45,2,30)

Zimbabwe (18,3,0)

Total ( 2,585,37,455)

Zambia has since confirmed three more cases, with additional suspected cases in Kafue.