President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday said that experts expect up to 50 000 people to succumb to COVID-19.
This as Ramaphosa took a somber tone in his address to the nation as government wrestles to control the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that’s is engulfing the country.
Ramaphosa said the COVID-19 “storm” is upon the country as the country was recording at least 12 000 positive COVID-19 cases a day. “It is stretching out resources and our resolve,” bemoaned Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa said the country had more than 276 000 confirmed cases and that some South Africans had completely ignored measures to curb the spread of the virus.
“Scientists and other scenario planners have presented us with models that project that South Africa may have between 40 000 and 50 000 deaths before the end of this year,” Ramaphosa said.
The president said that returning to level 4 or 5 would not necessarily be a solution to curb the spread of the virus and that the country would remain on level 3 but that companies and authorities must ensure masks are worn without exceptions.
