The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa has risen to 1,187, with Gauteng still reporting the highest number of cases, at 533. But it is the the number of confirmed cases involving healthcare workers in private and public hospitals that is causing concern. Health Minister Dr Zwelini Mkhize said in a statement on […]

South African students who were repatriated to South Africa from Wuhan City, in China, will finally be making their way home to their families on Monday, after spending 14 days in quarantine at a resort in the Limpopo province. The SA Government said plans are underway to reunite the 114 South African citizens with their […]

As South Africa enters its first day of a 21-day national lockdown, this performance by the award-winning Ndlovu Youth Choir is so welcomed… by a nation that is pulling together (separately, with social distancing!) in these tough times. The choir posted the video on the eve of lockdown saying: “God bless our nation. Our spirit […]

At the stroke of midnight on Thursday, South Africa will go on a nationwide lock-down with the exception of essential services. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement on Monday evening, following a meeting on Sunday with the National Coronavirus Command Council. The lockdown is the South African government’s bid to contain and slow down the […]

“No one is safe until we are all safe. The next few weeks are going to be critical — we will need to work together to reduce the spread of the virus,” explains the signup sheet of a new Covid-19 response initiative. The Cape Town Together Community Action Network is an initiative that has been […]

South Africa has 402 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 128 from Sunday’s announcement… and has registered its first confirmed case in the Northern Cape. On Monday, the Health Department confirmed an increase of 128 cases. The announcement comes just hours ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on measures to be […]

Suppose you had the choice between two health policies, A and B. Policy A would result in the death of a lot of elderly people. Policy B would result in the death of a lot of children, especially infants. Which would you choose? Right now we are facing a choice between more or less drastic […]

The proliferation of fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic has been labelled a dangerous “infodemic”. Fake news spreads faster and more easily today through the internet, social media and instant messaging. These messages may contain useless, incorrect or even harmful information and advice, which can hamper the public health response and add to social disorder […]

South Africa’s The Kiffness has created an awesome version of Toto’s Africa that’s going viral faster than a virus! The Kiffness’ David Scott posted the brilliant video on Sunday, saying: “Please stay home South Africa #FlattenTheCurve” (For more info on flattening the curve, see below the video.) He calls the video “Toto – Africa (COVID-19 […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a messaging service – WHO Health Alert – with partners, WhatsApp and Facebook to keep people safe from Coronavirus. This easy-to-use messaging service has the potential to reach two billion people and enables WHO to get information directly into the hands of the people that need it. The […]

As of Saturday 21 March 2020, South Africa now has 240 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This means there has been an increase of 38 from Friday’s announcement of 202 cases. Among the new cases, is the Eastern Cape’s first confirmed case. “This patient is a 28 year-old female who had travelled to Germany,” said the […]

Sheila Moore, 71, and her husband, Richard Moore, 73, returned from the United Kingdom on Tuesday 10 March healthy. A few days later both she and her husband had tested positive for the new coronavirus, and Sheila was developing a worrying shortness of breath. On her healthcare advisor’s recommendation, she asked the Netcare Christiaan Barnard […]

The numbers are snowballing – over 200 by Friday morning – even though the response of the South African government has been swift. This Sunday Carte Blanche investigates how seriously South Africans are taking Covid-19. You can watch the show on Sunday 22 March in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in […]

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says the health department is seeing the successful recovery of people in South Africa who had tested positive for COVID-19. “We are in the process of conducting further confirmation tests and medical examinations then we [will] formally inform the public on the number of recoveries. At this stage, most of the […]

South Africa has identified 37 sites around the country that can be used as quarantine facilities in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, says Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille. “One of the key tasks for the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has been to identify state-owned buildings which could possibly be […]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is spreading across the world. For those who catch it, the vast majority will experience mild symptoms, but for a few, it can cause severe disease and death. Some groups – like older people and those with pre-existing health conditions – are more vulnerable when exposed than others. Because of this, […]

Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula says new regulations that came into effect on Wednesday, will see all cruise and passenger ships entering South Africa through its sea ports being prohibited from disembarkation. Briefing the media at the Port of Cape Town on Wednesday, Mbalula said the regulations, which were gazetted on the same day, will assist […]

The number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in South Africa has jumped from 116 to 150 as of Thursday. President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement at a briefing following a meeting with faith-based organisations in Pretoria. “The Minister of Health was able to outline to all of us that the level of infection has now risen […]

And the People Stayed Home, a prose poem by Kitty O’Meara, has been going viral since early March 2020 since the retired American teacher and chaplain published the beautiful poem on her blog, under the post title: In the Time of Pandemic. An Italian journalist Irene Vella has claimed it is a translation from her […]

South Africa’s Health Department has confirmed eight new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases to 24. “At this point, I wish to also bring it to your attention that there are more positive results that have come out. “The NICD [National Institute for Communicable Diseases] and NHLS [National Health Laboratory Service] […]

South Africa on Thursday confirmed its first local transmission of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Free State. UPDATE: The man in the Free State has been tested against and although he initially tested positive has subsequently been found to be negative. According to the Department of Health, a 32-year-old male came into contact with a […]

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday evening, 11 March 2020, that as the number of cases of COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus) have increased by 13 times in the past fortnight, the situation is now officially a pandemic. “In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of COVID-19 cases, the […]

Grayston Preparatory School in Gauteng, South Africa, will today undergo a “deep-cleaning process” in preparation for re-opening its doors to learners on Wednesday. On Monday, the school closed its doors after it emerged that a staff member came into contact with one of the people who tested positive for Coronavirus last week. “As the department, […]

The number of novel Coronavirus cases in South Africa has risen to seven, after four more patients – all from the same group who recently returned from a ski holiday to Italy – were confirmed to be positive for the virus on Monday. (Ski slopes in the northern region of Italy have now been closed […]

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Sunday morning confirmed the third case of corona virus in South Africa. The third person is the wife of Patient Zero, the Hilton father who was the first person diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in South Africa. The KwaZulu-Natal couple had returned from a ski trip to Italy […]