Covid-19 or ‘coronavirus’ is reported to have originated in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province of China, with the first COVID-19 cases having started in December of 2019. (1) The virus has since spread rapidly across the globe, with more than 246 000 confirmed cases. (2) South Africa has not been spared from the outbreak, with the first local case confirmed on 5 March 2020.
As of 20 March 2020, there are a total of 150 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa with no reported deaths. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national state of disaster, which is set to last for a minimum of three months. (3) This includes (but may not be limited to):
- A partial travel ban
- Travel advisories
- Discouraging the use of public transport
- Closing of schools (to resume 14 April 2020)
- Prohibiting gatherings of 100+ people
The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) has received the newly-released Government Gazette on COVID-19 from the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and would like to share it with ITC-SA stakeholders, such that they may be informed and make every effort to collectively help curb the spread of coronavirus – both at work and in their daily lives.
WATCH: Coronavirus – 7 steps to prevent the spread of the virus
The Institute encourages you to share this official information among your networks and to remain vigilant and discerning about what is shared on social networks in the face of rampant ‘fake news’.
Information contained in this mailer was accurate at the time of publication. Please remain informed about the coronavirus situation by referring to current and trustworthy sources, like the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
Download the Government Gazette on COVID-19 here.
References:
- Kandola, A. Coronavirus cause: Origin and how it spreads. Medical News Today. Published: 17 March 2020. Accessed: 19 March 2020.
- COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak. Worldometer. Updated: 19 March 2020. Accessed: 20 March 2020.
- 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Africa. Wikipedia. Last edited: 19 March 2020. Accessed: 19 March 2020.
- Government Gazette on COVID-19. Government Gazette – Republic of South Africa. Vol. 657. No. 43107. Published: 18 March 2020
