SA’s coronavirus WhatsApp helpline now available in four official languages
Sesotho, isiZulu and Afrikaans options were added as part of the department's efforts to make critical information about the novel coronavirus outbreak available in various languages.
Picture: EPA-EFE/HAYOUNG JEON
The national Department of Health’s novel coronavirus (Covid-19) WhatsApp helpline is now available in four of South Africa’s official languages – English, Sesotho, isiZulu and Afrikaans.
Initially, the service was only able to respond to English queries, but this changed on Saturday when updates were made to accommodate the three additional languages.
This is part of the department’s efforts to make critical information about the novel coronavirus outbreak available in various languages.
South Africa is on Day 3 of a 21-day lockdown, aimed at curbing the spread of the virus, which first emerged in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.
The lockdown comes a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act.
On Saturday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the number of positive cases in South Africa had climbed to 1 187 – an increase of 17 compared to the figure given on Friday.
Of these, 533 are in Gauteng, 271 in the Western Cape and 156 in KwaZulu-Natal.
– News24 Wire
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