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Parts of the country to move to level 3 at the end of May

todayMay 13, 2020 26

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that government will immediately begin consultations to move parts of the country from level 4 to level 3 of the lockdown at the end of May.

President Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Wednesday night, on South Africa’s measures to manage the spread of Covid-19 through the implementation of a risk adjusted strategy.

The president’s address follows a number of meetings with cabinet and the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC).

“We will immediately begin a process of consultation with relevant stakeholders on a proposal that by the end of May, most of the country be placed on alert level 3, but that those parts of the country with the highest rates of infection remain on level 4,” said Ramaphosa.

The command council is expected to announce certain changes to level 4 regulations to expand permitted business activities in the retail space, e-commerce as well as restrictions on exercise.

Ramaphosa emphasised that the new phase will require individuals to change their  behaviour in profound ways.

“Let us remember that although the lockdown has slowed down the rate o transmission, the coronavirus is very much still present- and will be present among us for a long time to come.”

“We will need to re-organise workplaces , schools, universities, colleges and other public places to limit transmission.”

Ramaphosa reiterated that if the lockdown is lifted abruptly, we risk a rapid and unmanageable surge in infections.

He also announced that the death toll has increased to 219 , this while infections increase to 12,074.

South Africa has recorded 4,745 recoveries thus far.

“We will need to adapt to new ways of worshipping, socialising, exercising and meeting that minimise opportunities for the virus to spread,” Ramaphosa added.

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