South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on citizens “pulling out all the stops” in the “long war” against the coronavirus as the country edged closer to the 1,000 death mark following a record daily toll jump of 60 deaths on Friday.
South Africa recorded a death toll of 908 with 43,434 positive cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the highest infection in the continent.
President Ramaphosa visited the Western Cape province which is the country's epicentre with 28,807 positive cases and 704 casualties and called for an “all hands on deck” approach in the battle to save lives.
Almost 2,000 of Western Cape's healthcare workers contracted the virus with 17 of them losing their lives, as Ramaphosa noted that more staff and beds are needed at the field hospital.
We’re fighting a life and death war and staffing challenges must be solved,” he said.
