South Africa eases Covid-19 restrictions as cases decline

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday eased Covid-19 restrictions following the country’s recent experience of a decline in new cases.

Ramaphosa announced that the country’s night-time curfew will now begin at 11:00 pm and end at 4:00 am. He also noted that religious gatherings will now be permitted with strict health protocols.

“Such gatherings may not exceed 50 people for indoor venues and 100 persons for outdoor venues. Where the venue is too small to accommodate these numbers with appropriate social distancing, then no more than 50% of the capacity of the venue may be used,” he said while addressing the nation on the country’s response to the pandemic.

President Ramaphosa also announced the lifting of a week-long ban on alcohol sale.

“Restrictions on the sale of alcohol will be eased. Its sale by licensed premises for off-site consumption will be permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, from 10am to 6pm,” he said.

South Africa remains the hardest hit African country by the Covid-19 pandemic, having reported 1,453,761 infections with 44,164 deaths.

The figures represent 41.36% of the continent’s caseload and 49.63% of its fatalities.

Edited by Olajumoke Adeleke