President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced new tougher coronavirus restrictions, a day after South Africa recorded more than one million Covid-19 cases. Indoor and outdoor gatherings will be banned, a curfew introduced from 9 pm to 6 pm, and alcohol sales prohibited. Mr Ramaphosa said the country was at an extremely dangerous point in the pandemic and action had to be taken. Recently authorities confirmed a new, faster-spreading variant of the virus had been detected in South Africa. In a televised speech, Mr Ramaphosa said the new 501.V2 variant was now well established in South Africa, and the recent rise in cases was a "cause for great alarm".

Source: The Star December 28, 2020 19:07 UTC