COVID-19 LATEST FIGURES SATURDAY 18 JULY 2020

TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 10: Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize visit Tshwane District Hospital to monitor the level of preparedness as the Province has become the epicentre for COVID-19 on July 10, 2020 in Tshwane, South Africa. According to a media release, the visit by the MEC and Minister Mkhize also forms part of supporting the staff that is working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)

Level 2 lockdown? Mkhize says NCCC discussing ‘the next steps’

South Africa has recorded 521 318 cases of COVID-19; 8 884 people have succumbed to the respiratory disease.

COVID-19 LATEST FIGURES SATURDAY 18 JULY 2020

TSHWANE, SOUTH AFRICA – JULY 10: Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize visit Tshwane District Hospital to monitor the level of preparedness as the Province has become the epicentre for COVID-19 on July 10, 2020 in Tshwane, South Africa. According to a media release, the visit by the MEC and Minister Mkhize also forms part of supporting the staff that is working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu)

The Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize has said his department will be putting forward recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on the next phase of the country’s fight against COVID-19.

“We will table recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council on the next best steps to be taken. So next week we should be able to get some guidance from the NCCC and the President on the next steps”, he said.

Mkhize was speaking during a virtual briefing on Wednesday, 5 August 2020, where he provided an update on the country’s efforts to counter the spread of the coronavirus.

Level 2 lockdown to be decided by the NCCC

The NCCC oversees the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and also determines the laws to be applied under the lockdown.

As of 4 August 2020, South Africa has recorded 521 318 cases of COVID-19, while 8 884 people have succumbed to the respiratory disease.

“We are happy that even with the targeted testing approach which we adopted as a department based on the Ministerial Advisory Committee advice, our testing numbers continue to grow. To date we have tested 3 078 202”, Mkhize said.

As part of improving the records of COVID-19 related deaths in response to reports on excess deaths, the minister announced that his department now requires that all the sudden deaths and those that occur at home must have specimens taken for COVID-19 before a death certificate is issued.

Mkhize further said while containment measures such as the wearing of masks, sanitizing of hands and social distancing are working, the risk of experiencing a second wave remains a possibility.

Mkhize: ‘Restriction measures are being reviewed’

The minister also added they would continue reviewing the restrictions and that when necessary, certain limitations will still remain in place.

Mkhize seemed to be somewhat optimistic about the country’s future figures of the disease but said it was still too early to claim victory.

“Whilst we are cautiously optimistic, it is still too early for us to make definite conclusions regarding the observed decline. We need to continue to track all these indicators and ensure that our testing capacity reflects a realist picture of our epidemiological status”, he said.

“We will therefore only know for sure when there is a consistent decline over a period,” he added.