South Africa bans alcohol sales, closes bars to try to stop spread of coronavirus
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday another ban on alcohol sales in the country, saying that "reckless behavior due to alcohol intoxication has contributed to increased transmission" of the coronavirus.
South Africa has recorded more than 1 million coronavirus cases, with nearly 27,000 deaths. The South African Medical Association said the country's hospital system could soon be overwhelmed due to COVID-19 cases and patients needing treatment for alcohol-related injuries. Earlier in the pandemic, there was a total ban on liquor sales in South Africa, and alcohol-related trauma cases dropped by 60 percent, The Guardian reports.
In addition to a ban on alcohol sales, Ramaphosa also announced that for at least the next few weeks, bars and certain beaches will be closed and masks will be mandatory in public; anyone who doesn't follow this order will have to pay a fine or face criminal charges. If the number of new cases and hospitalizations starts to drop, Ramaphosa said he will consider relaxing the restrictions.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
South Africa has seen a surge in cases, with more than 50,000 reported since Christmas Eve. Experts believe a new variant of the virus thought to be more infectious is making its way through some parts of the country. Over the past two weeks, the seven-day rolling average of confirmed daily cases in South Africa has increased from 11.18 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 13 to 19.87 new cases per 100,000 people on Dec. 27.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Playful goslings, an exploding snowman, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Texas dairy worker gets bird flu from infected cow
Speed Read The virus has been spreading among cattle in Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Dengue hits the Americas hard and early
Speed Read Puerto Rico has declared an epidemic as dengue cases surge
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US bans final type of asbestos
Speed Read Exposure to asbestos causes about 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Seattle Children's Hospital sues Texas over 'sham' demand for transgender medical records
Speed Read Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton subpoenaed records of any Texan who received gender-affirming care at the Washington hospital
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Afghanistan has a growing female suicide problem
Speed Read The Taliban has steadily whittled away women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan over the past 2 years, prompting a surge in depression and suicide
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US life expectancy rose in 2022 but not to pre-pandemic levels
Speed Read Life expectancy is slowly crawling back up
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Vallance diaries: Boris Johnson 'bamboozled' by Covid science
Speed Read Then PM struggled to get his head around key terms and stats, chief scientific advisor claims
By The Week UK Published
-
An increasing number of dog owners are 'vaccine hesitant' about rabies
Speed Read A new survey points to canine vaccine hesitancy
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published