22 May 2020 – South Africa now has over 19 000 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus and 30 more deaths, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Thursday afternoon (21 May 2020_. 

Mkhize said there were 1 134 new infections, taking the total cases to 19 137, while there were also 30 more deaths, taking the death toll to 369. 

It was the country’s second biggest daily jump, after 1 160 new infections were recorded on Sunday, May 17. 

All 30 new deaths were from the Eastern Cape, 5, and the Western Cape, 25. 

This takes the death toll between the two Cape provinces to 285, which means they account for 77% of all Covid-19 deaths in South Africa so far.

The country is currently in Day 56 of its national lockdown, which was instituted to curb the spread of the virus. 

Early this month, South Africa eased into level 4 of the national lockdown, which allowed just over one million workers to return to work, after instituting the strict level 5 lockdown for 35 days. 

In easing into level 4 of the lockdown, the wearing of cloth masks became compulsory for all who were in public. Shops are refusing to serve those who do not cover their faces. 

Mkhize said 525 000 people had now been tested for the virus, with the last 18 500 tests conducted over the last 24 hours. 

(source: IOL)