OPINION
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has recently been reported as a global threat. The disease has led many countries to a stand-still more especially China, where the virus originally started. The virus has also affected most European countries such as England, Italy, Spain, France and some African countries.
This has led to most countries’ economies’ including soccer leagues, events and other activities in order to tackle the virus and possibly prevent further spreading of the virus.
Some nations have already reported fatalities the worst being China and Italy.
To date, 62+ cases of coronavirus have been reported in South Africa with a KZN Grade-R pupil reported to have tested positive this morning. South Africa has not reported any fatalities to date but remains in a state of disaster.
The government’s response of repatriating some of China-based South African citizens as early as possible was one of the responses towards preventing coronavirus from entering South African undetected. The repatriates have since been put in quarantine.
On Monday the 16th of March, a student at the University of Witwatersrand tested positive to coronavirus and reports suggest that 350 students might have contracted the virus and have been quarantined as well.
Together with most Tertiary institutions suspending their academic activities to reduce crowd gatherings and to prevent the spreading of the virus, on 15 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the virus a national disaster.
This measure puts limitation of contact between people, imposed travel ban between risky countries, cancelled Visas, banned all forms of international travel and introduced self-isolation and testing of people returning into South Africa.
The measure also imposes screening at airports, shut down of 35 ports as from the 16th of March.
The President also prohibited gatherings of more than 100 people, control on small gatherings.
Schools will be shut down until after Easter weekend and all visits to correctional services are suspended. Business is prompted to intensify hygiene control.
The President’s decisiveness can be applauded because the virus will reduce economic activity and affect our economic growth, but our lives come first.
As a result, other leaders such as in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), all soccer matches are postponed until further notice.
Despite not having any reported cases in Tshwane, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), with panic from some of the students, has also suspended its academic activities until 13 April 2020.
We in Tshwane are still spared because we have no reported cases. It is up to us to maintain the status by keeping up with their hygienic routine as a preventative measure. For now Tshwane remains safe and we can only fight the pandemic by only enduring safety measures at all times!
