President declares Coronavirus a national disaster; announces measures to curb

LIMPOPO – President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday announced that South Africa has been declared a national state of disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act and will close its borders to travellers from high-risk countries as from 18 March in an effort to curb the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) .

This comes after an additional 23 positive cases were confirmed by the National Department of Health, bringing the total number of cases to 61.

In view of the rising numbers, Ramaphosa called for a special cabinet meeting where the following measures to combat the virus were announced:

• Limited contact between persons who may be infected & South African citizens

• Imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals from high-risk countries such as Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and China as from 18 March 2020.

• Effective immediately, South African citizens are advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea.

• All travellers who have entered South Africa from high-risk countries since mid-February will be required to present themselves for testing.

• Travellers from medium-risk countries – such as Portugal, Hong Kong and Singapore – will be required to undergo high intensity screening.

• Any person who has visited high-risk countries in the past 20 days will be denied a visa. South African citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on return to South Africa.

• Public schools will be closed as from Wednesday, 18 March and reopen after the Easter weekend. The winter school holiday will be shortened by a week to compensate.

• Suspension of all public gatherings of more than 100 people. Mass celebrations including that of Human Rights Day on 21 March, must be cancelled.

• Organisers of small gatherings must have stringent measures of prevention and control in place.

• Government is working with colleges, universities & other public facilities such as Parliament, prisons, police stations & military installations to intensify hygiene control. Visits to all correctional centres are suspended for 30 days with immediate effect

• All non-essential domestic travel, particularly by air, rail, taxis and bus is discouraged.

• 35 Land ports will be shut down with effect from Monday 16 March. 2 sea ports will be closed for passengers and crew changes.