2 258 new Covid-19 cases and 282 deaths on first day of SA’s level 2 lockdown

Cape Town - South Africa recorded 2 258 new cases of Covid-19 and 282 death related to the virus on the first day of the level 2 lockdown on Tuesday.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country now stands at 592 144, the health ministry said, with 485 468 recoveries reported.

This translates to a recovery rate of 82%.

The latest figures indicate a slowing down of reported cases, which were averaging between 5 000 and 10 000 new cases daily at the beginning of the month.

Covid-19 case data for 18 August supplied by the National Department of Health.

Of the 282 deaths reported on Tuesday, 89 were from Gauteng, 66 from the Eastern Cape, 57 from KwaZulu-Natal, 34 from the Western Cape, 20 from North West, 13 from the Free State and 3 from the Northern Cape.

The cumulative death toll from the virus now stands at 12 264.

Covid-19 deaths and recoveries per province for 18 August 2020 supplied by the National Department of Health.

Over the past 24 hours, 14 677 tests were conducted, bringing the total number of tests done since the start of the pandemic to 3 430 347.

Covid-19 testing data for 18 August 2020 supplied by the National Department of Health.

Boom in alcohol and tobacco sales

As expected, the first day of the relaxed restrictions were eagerly embraced by smokers and drinkers who could once again purchase their favourite indulgences over the counter instead of buying from black market sellers at massively inflated prices.

Across the country, customers stood in long queues to purchase alcohol which may only be sold between Monday and Thursday under the disaster management regulations.

Union threatens strike at national laboratory service

Trade union Nehawu is preparing for a strike at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), which it say will be used as a launching pad for broader protests to highlight the plight of workers in the front lines of the fight against Covid-19.

The union said the decision to strike was a last resort, after having exhausted all available avenues to force NHLS management to resolve the dispute which has been ongoing since last August.

The NHLS is the largest diagnostic pathology service in South Africa, with the responsibility of supporting national and provincial health departments in the delivery of healthcare. It provides laboratory and related public health services to over 80 percent of the population through a national network of laboratories.

IOL and ANA

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 22:03:28 GMTLou-Anne Daniels

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