South Africa declares Covid-19 national emergency

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. So far, 61 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in the country.

The president warned that the epidemic might have a significant and “potentially lasting” effect on the country’s economy, which is already in recession. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization classified the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic. Over 160,000 people have contracted the disease worldwide, while more than 6,400 died.