Breaking: SA Covid-19 cases surge past 400

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa has surged past the 400 mark, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize revealed in a statement just after 1pm on Monday.

The tally now stands at 402 and represents the biggest single day increase yet in Covid-19 cases in the country, up by 128 cases since Sunday.

Read: Six or seven of every 10 people in SA ‘will get Covid-19’

Health officials are warning that the next two weeks will be crucial for South Africa. The government’s bans on most international travel, gatherings of more than 100 people and curbs on liquor trading hours for pubs, shebeens and restaurants are aimed at trying to avert the growth in local transmission of the contagious virus.

Noteworthy for South Africa, is that most Covid-19 cases  confirmed thus far are related to people who have travelled overseas – largely to Europe and the US. Also, there has been no reported Covid-19-related deaths; and encouragingly the first recovery has been reported.