South Africa could move to Level 1 of the nationwide lockdown in a matter of days.
So said Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday during an interview on Radio Islam International.
His remarks come as the country’s Covid-19 infection rate has slowed down during Alert Level 2 of the lockdown.
South Africa currently has over 640 000 positive cases and over 15 000 Covid-19 related deaths since the very first Covid-19 case on our shores was discovered in early March.
Mkize said: “We will have to move to Level 1 and get closer to normal activities. We hope we can still contain the numbers and the past two weeks have been very encouraging with no upsurge and we hope that if we go to the next level, the upsurge is going to be less.”
He said there was a need to start opening up more economic activities to get the country’s severely battered economy back on its feet.
Mkhize said that although it was not yet decided when exactly the country would move to Level 1 with the matter still under discussion, President Cyril Ramaphosa would in the “next few days” make an announcement.
But, even at Level 1 of the lockdown, precautionary measures such as the wearing of masks in public spaces, social distancing, hand washing and sanitisers would continue and people should get used to it as the new normal.
He said South Africa was now over the surge as predicted by various models.
However, Mkhize warned that a second wave may hit the country as it did in countries such as Spain, USA, Iran and Korea.