With a rapid recovery of COVID-19 overcoming the country’s hospitals and driven by a more infectious virus variant, South Africa has delayed reopening its schools
JOHANNESBURG – With rapid recovery of COVID-19 overruns nationwide hospitals and driven by more infectious version of the virus, South Africa has delayed reopening her schools.
This variation is having a widespread impact on the most developed country in Africa as there are a number of countries that are trying to prevent a halt or reduction of flights with South Africa.
South Africa has the highest COVID-19 level with a total of more than 1.3 million confirmed cases, including 36,851 deaths.
In the last 24 hours, the country has recorded 13,973 new infections and 348 deaths.
South Africa’s 7-day follow-up average of new cases daily has gone up over the past two weeks from 22 new cases per 100,000 people on Jan. 2 to 26 new cases per 100,000 people on Jan. 16, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“With the pressures on the health system in recent weeks, and more COVID-19 infections as a result of the second wave, the advice of education ministers is in line with the advice. national coronavirus directorate and the Cabinet have decided to delay the reopening of public and private schools, ”said Deputy Minister of Primary Education Reginah Mauhau.
The department has not published statistics on how many teachers or students have complied with COVID-19, but it is confirmed that two teachers recently died during the celebration of last year’s test.
“Some of our symptoms have died out, but others have diverted from celebrating because of fear and anxiety, but also because some of their own family members have been positive,” said Mhauli.
South African education officials are expected Monday to announce plans for universities and colleges, which closed last year as part of restrictions.
Several international airlines have stopped or reduced their flights to South Africa to prevent the spread of the new variable.
Dubai-based airline Emirates has suspended all scheduled flights to South Africa until January 28 “for operational reasons,” it said in a statement.
It joins a growing list of foreign airlines from countries including the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland, which have strained travel to and from from South Africa since the emergence of the new variant.
South Africa itself has closed 20 land borders with neighboring countries Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Mozambique as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus during its second wave.
South Africa has also reversed an overnight curfew, banned the sale of alcohol and banned large gatherings.