Minister of Healthn Dr Zweli Mkhize said that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has jumped to 709 overnight.
The minister made this announcement in a live broadcast on Wednesday morning.
Mkhize on Tuesday outlined strategic measures for the 21-day lockdown aimed at flattening the killer disease curve and warned that the country would not be able to curb the spread of the coronavirus if people refused to change their individual behaviour in their homes.
This comes as the nation prepares for the nationwide lockdown effect from midnight on Thursday.
Mkhize has warned that at least six to seven out of every 10 South Africans would be directly affected by the coronavirus, with at least two out of every 10 cases being severe.
He was speaking at a Q&A session with concerned doctors from the South African Medical Association in Pretoria earlier this month.
Speaking frankly to fellow professionals in a bid to get them to come on board to combat the virus, Mkhize also warned that South Africa’s coronavirus numbers were heading for the 200 mark by Friday.
Mkhize told the doctors that at least 60-70% of people in communities would be affected by Covid-19 virus, but from those, 20% of those infected would be serious cases.
“Our estimation, in any community 60 to 70% will be affected by the virus in our communities. We cannot hide that. So I said to the religious leaders, most of us are going to have this virus, but it does not mean it will be a severe disease to all of us, it will be severe to the 20%, so let's make sure that at every time the 20% is small,” he said.