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Breaking: Over 50 coronavirus cases in SA now confirmed
There’s been another rise in coronavirus cases reported across South Africa, after a batch of new cases were reported on Sunday morning.
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The number of patients affected by coronavirus in South Africa has broken through a significant barrier, after surpassing 50 cases on Sunday 15 March. The official number of our compatriots hit by the disease now stands at 51, after 13 new cases were reported on Sunday.
JUST IN: South Africa’s confirmed coronavirus cases has risen to 51. There are 13 new cases.#Covid_19 #CoronaVirusSA
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) March 15, 2020
Latest coronavirus cases and updates in South Africa
Of all 13 new cases detailed, each patient has links to travel. Seven people in Gauteng – who had travelled to countries, including Iran, the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany, all tested positive for COVID-19. The victims’ ages range from 21 to 60 years old. A 34-year-old from KwaZulu-Natal also picked up coronavirus, after returning from the UK.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape has five new cases to report: Once more, all had a history of recent travel to Europe, with Spain, the Netherlands and Austria listed as the most frequented destinations. People aged between 33 to 50 all contracted the illness. As of 11:30 on Sunday 15 March, there have been no coronavirus-related deaths in South Africa.
What we can expect on Sunday
Several schools have been forced to close their doors as the country awaits further instructions on what to do next. An extraordinary meeting of Cabinet is taking place this afternoon, and it is likely that travel bans will be imposed in some shape or form. Meanwhile, in the Health Department’s official statement on these 13 new cases, they stressed the need to help support our “contact tracer” teams:
“During a meeting on Saturday, we discussed the latest situational analysis of each province as more coronavirus cases are being confirmed. It became clear that the role of our contact tracers is vital, and their capacity needs to be strengthened. To limit the spread of the virus, contact tracing should be done within 48 hours.”
Health Department
There are now 51 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in South Africa. #COVID19 #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/U6Yp3X0b7Z
— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) March 15, 2020
