South Africa: Authorities announce reintroduction of certain COVID-19 restrictions July 12 /update 21

Event

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday, July 12, that a nighttime curfew and a ban on the sale of alcohol will be reintroduced due to a rise of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country. As of Monday, July 13, a nationwide nighttime curfew will be in place from 21:00 to 04:00 (local time). President Ramaphosa said that the alcohol ban aims to reduce the pressure on hospitals by reducing alcohol-related injuries. Despite the reintroduction of certain restrictions, the country remains on the third level of its five-level COVID-19 alert system.

Hotels and guest houses have been permitted to reopen but are subject to government regulations, while social distancing restrictions remain in place for different provinces throughout the country, based on the number of COVID-19 cases in the area.

As of July 12, there have been 276,242 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, and 4079 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and labored breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia. 

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the general risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.