The government has announced that when the country shifts to a level 4 lockdown on Friday, a national curfew will be imposed on all but essential workers between 8pm and 5am.

The announcement came as the government spelled out proposed measures to gradually reopen some sectors of the economy.

The ‘broad outlines’ are contained in a ‘draft framework’ which has yet to be finalised. The public and businesses have an opportunity to comment on it, but the timeframe for this process is tight: the deadline for comments is noon tomorrow.

Minister of Trade and Industry Ebrahim Patel, who acknowledged that ‘Covid-19 has hurt the economy’, said the government wanted to work in partnership with businesses and workers to bring down the level of risk, and ensure the right measures were in place to limit the spread of the virus.

South Africa’s death toll has risen to 86, and positive cases to 4 361. The Western Cape has the highest number of cases (1 514), followed by Gauteng (1 304) and KwaZulu-Natal (847).

Details of the government’s Risk-Adjusted Strategy, and details of curbs on movement, can be accessed at: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/covid-19-risk-adjusted-strategy/.

The government said it ‘intends to sequence and phase in key sectors and priority areas with a view to deepening the fight against COVID-19 whilst simultaneously rebuilding our economy’.

It encouraged the public to submit comments on the proposals for the level 4 lockdown due to be effective from Friday.

Submissions must be sent by email to lockdowncomments@cogta.gov.za by noon tomorrow.

In other virus-related news

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that there is no evidence that people who test positive for the new coronavirus are immunised and protected against reinfection ‘There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from #COVID19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection,’ WHO said in a statement. ‘No study has yet evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus in humans.’;
  • Wuhan, which reported the first case of Covid-19 more than three months ago, has gone 10 days without registering a single Covid-19 death;
  • The global death toll has passed 200 000 people, according to the global tracker run by Johns Hopkins University;
  • There have been more than 271 000 confirmed cases in New York, more than any individual country; and
  • The toll in Italy has risen by 415 – the smallest daily tally since 17 March – to 26 384 people, the second highest number after the US. Italy has recorded 195 351 cases.

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