Religious leaders have been urged by the KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, to exercise caution during the Easter period.
Simelane held a meeting with various religious leaders in the province as part of government efforts to intensify the education and awareness campaign about the coronavirus.
Simelane says there are some traditions that the church leaders will need to assess to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“The reason why it’s also important that we engage with the leaders of the religious sector is that we are now going to the Easter or Passover season and all the churches are going to be engaging in the different traditions that they engage on in preparation and while they are on the Passover. So we were having a discussion with the religious leaders on which are the traditions that they are going to have to re-assess in relation to this because if we continue to do things as if it’s business as usual, that means we are putting out people at risk to transmit the virus,” says Simelane.
Simelane says there are some traditions that the church leaders will need to assess to help prevent the spread:
24 cases are confirmed so far in South Africa.
‘Cancel all sporting events’
Meanwhile, the FF-Plus has called on the government to temporarily cancel all sporting events as well as consider closing the country’s borders.
FF-Plus MP Phillip Van Staden says they have already arranged a meeting with the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhezi, to discuss these matters.
“The Freedom Front Plus wants to make it very clear that this is not a measure to discriminate against anyone, but the safety of South African citizens is paramount. With regard to the cancellation and postponement of sporting events, it is a given that all countries will implement these measures to try and prevent the spread of the virus and SA has no choice but to do so as well. Cabinet will meet in Pretoria tomorrow to discuss the pandemic and the FF-Plus expresses the hope that the cabinet will take drastic steps to address these two issues.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Sunday chair an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss, amongst others, ways to limit the spread of the coronavirus from travellers coming into the country from infected nations across the globe.
The video below states health precaution on coronavirus
The infographic below shows health precautions for coronavirus
