CAPE TOWN: Johannesburg mayor Geoffrey Makhubo tested positive for Covid-19 and has gone into self-quarantine as part of the recovery process, his office said on Sunday.
“Gauteng and, indeed, Johannesburg are officially in a third wave and residents are urged to take the necessary non-medical precautions seriously, and to ensure they wear masks, maintain social distance and limit movement, in compliance with the level 3 regulations currently in place,” his office said.
“The mayor will continue to monitor and provide guidance on work currently being carried out, to contain and manage the spread of Covid-19 in the City, while he is in self-quarantine.”
On Saturday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed that South Africa recorded has recorded 13 575 new Covid-19 infections and had a total of 110 725 active cases.
According to the latest statistics, the country’s Covid-19 death toll stood at 58 590.
Gauteng has been reeling under the grip of the third wave, with a surge in the number of infections and hospitalisations.
The Sunday Independent reported that on Thursday, the number of Covid-19 patients in Gauteng health facilities stood at 4 700, with 1 380 admitted to the intensive care units (ICU) and a further 3 432 being treated in general wards.
Faced with the rising number of Covid-19 infections and an increase in hospital admissions, President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday announced stricter lockdown regulations.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Ramaphosa moved the country to level 3 of the lockdown in an effort to curb the spike in Covid-19 infections.
Among the measures announced by the President is a restriction on alcohol sales and new curfews that kick in from tonight, when the regulations are gazetted.
The sale of alcohol will be permitted from 10am to 6pm, from Monday to Thursday. Public Holidays are excluded.
On-site sale of alcohol is permitted at premises up to 9pm.
A curfew of from 10pm to 4am will take effect from midnight, while the number of people allowed to gather is no more than 50 people indoors and 150 outdoors.
Attendance at funerals may not exceed 50 people and after funeral gatherings are not permitted.
IOL