Lockdown in numbers since beginning of Level 5

Since the commencement of the Covid-19 lockdown on 26 March to combat the spread of the virus, the numbers relating to screening, testing, and confirmed cases have seen a sharp rise as government introduced lockdown levels to slowly resume economic activities.

The country was first in a 21-day lockdown, which was extended for two weeks and later known as Level 5, the strictest lockdown level with minimal economic activity reserved only for essential services.

South Africa currently has 22,583 Covid-19 cases, with 11,100 recoveries, as the country gears up to move down to Level 3 next week,  with more people able to travel for business purpose, move more freely and get back to work.

The South African government released pre-Level 3 lockdown numbers:

• 10 weeks since the national state of disaster was declared in response to the coronavirus pandemic
• 1.5-metre social distancing from other people
• 22,583 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country by 24 May
• 429 – people have died in the country by 24 May
• Over 11,000 active coronavirus cases in the country by 24 May
• 842 patients in hospital by 24 May
• 128 patients in intensive care by 24 May
• 580,000 coronavirus tests conducted by 24 May
• Over 12 million coronavirus screenings conducted by 24 May
• 60,000 community health workers have been going door-to-door across the country to identify possible cases of coronavirus
• 20,000 hospital beds which have been and are being repurposed for Covid-19 cases
• 27 number of field hospitals being built around the country
• More than 5 infected people per every 100,000 people in an area defined as a hotspot
• 60 years of age of all staff including those who suffer from underlying conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer,  should ideally stay at home
• 4,000 beds of a field hospital being built by Volkswagen in an unused factory in Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape
• 8 million people expected to return to work during Level 3

(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)

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