Covid-19 update: China latest to impose travel bans on South Africa

South Africa's new strain of the virus has seen China joining the list of countries that have imposed a travel ban. Briefly.co.za explores the latest updates on the pandemic.

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SA's new Covid-19 strain has seen a number of countries imposing strict travel bans on the nation.

China is the latest of these countries which have taken action after the mutant variant's discovery.

Briefly.co.za explores the latest Covid-19 updates below:

1. China imposes travel ban on SA

South Africa's mutant variant of the coronavirus is what experts believe is driving the second surge of Covid-19 infections.

Numerous countries have opted to impose travel bans on SA, banning flights completely to Mzansi.

Now, China has joined this list and extended a compulsory quarantine by an additional seven days, 21 in total, for all visitors from outside the country.

All people who have been in SA over the past 21 days are now banned from boarding for Hong Kong.

A statement was released on Christmas even with authorities commenting on the situation:

"Noting the drastic change of the global pandemic situation with the new virus variant found in more countries, there is a need for the government to introduce resolute measures immediately... to ensure that no case would slip through the net even under very exceptional cases where the incubation period of the virus is longer than 14 days."

2. Mkhize on latest statistics

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has once again provided South Africans with an update on the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement released on Christmas Eve, Mkhize noted another drastic spike in infections:

"Today, we report a cumulative total of 968 563 with 14 305 cases identified since the last report."

In addition to this spike in cases, Mkhize has also noted the number of reported fatalities:

"Regrettably, we report 326 more COVID-19 related deaths: Eastern Cape 109 , Free State 4, Gauteng 22, Kwa-Zulu Natal 81 and Western Cape 110. This brings the total deaths to 25 983."

Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed the suspicion of many, saying that 'further lockdown measures' are to be considered soon:

“We must warn South Africans that we will need to review the current restrictions and consider further measures to ensure that we curb this alarming rate of spread. Therefore, it will be important for us to evaluate the situation in these provinces, identify hotspots in these areas (and in other provinces) before making recommendations based on these findings.”

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Source: Briefly News