AUGUST 2020 - COVID UPDATE

 26 August

As of today, a cumulative total of 615 701 confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded.  The total number of COVID-19 related deaths is 13 502.   The total number of tests conducted to date is 3 598 973 

There have been 25 million cases worldwide with close to 900 000 deaths.

15 August

South Africa goes to Covid-19 level 2 on Monday

This means that restrictions on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes will now be lifted, and a slew of other regulations will be relaxed.

An indication of what was expected to be an extension of the lockdown, albeit with greater freedoms for South Africans, came when Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced the extension of the already five-month-long national state of disaster for another month until September 15.

In an address to the nation on Saturday night, Ramaphosa announced that among other changes, interprovincial travel would now be allowed, there will be unrestricted flight travel within South Africa, families may now visit each other, and all government offices and services will now be open to the public. 

Level two regulations include:

·       The opening up of interprovincial travel;

·       Family and social visits are now allowed while exercising “extreme caution”; 

·       Restaurants, bars and taverns can open, at certain times and with limited numbers of patrons;

·       Tobacco products can be sold;

·       Alcohol can be sold, subject to certain restrictions; 

·       Curfew remains between 10pm and 4am; and

·       International travel is still not permitted.