This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
On July 16, 2020, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a ban on the sale and disposal of alcohol to reduce the number of trauma patients in hospitals, allowing more beds to be available for COVID-19 patients.
The move comes as South Africa faces a surge in hospitalizations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with some hospitals having to turn away patients due to a lack of available beds.
According to Ramaphosa, since the sale and distribution of alcohol were reintroduced in June, hospitals have experienced a spike in admissions in their trauma and emergency wards.
South Africa has also reinstated a nighttime curfew to reduce traffic accidents and made it mandatory for all residents to wear face masks when in public.
The country has seen a rapid increase in reported cases, with over 10,000 confirmed cases reported for several days, and a daily jump of nearly 13,500.
