Ramaphosa urges SA not to be alarmed at rise of coronavirus

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged South Africans not to be scared by the rising numbers of Coronavirus cases.

The country has recorded more than half of the current total number of cases in the last two weeks.

The president in his weekly newsletter said the numbers will keep rising and people should be "concerned, but not alarmed".

"Like many South Africans, I too have been worried as I watch these figures keep rising. While these numbers are broadly in line with what the various models had projected, there is a big difference between looking at a graph on a piece of paper and seeing real people becoming infected, some getting ill and some dying."

President Ramaphosa said individual households should prepare and look at how to protect the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.

He said so far many people had started to think about safe ways to continue working, schooling and changed their shopping and worship behaviours to protect themselves from infections.

Schools in South Africa have begun gradual resumption of the school year with grade 7 and 12 learners returning to school on Monday.

Places of worship have re-opened but with strict guidelines to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

South Africa has 48,285 Coronavirus cases including 24,364 recoveries and 998 deaths.