With government having declared a national state of disaster amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, cooperative governance & traditional affairs (CoGTA) minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has gazetted regulations aimed at containing the spread.
This comes after the minister in recent days consulted her colleagues in cabinet and the relevant stakeholders, in terms of section 3 of the Disaster Management Act.
The regulations will outline rules that need to be adhered to by the general public.
The regulations pertaining to the coronavirus deal with, among others, the release of resources and the prevention and prohibition of gatherings.
They also deal with the release of resources such as human resources, stores, equipment, ships, aircraft platforms, vehicles and facilities when available.
“This is to ensure the delivery of essential services, as may be required, to prevent, limit, contain, combat and manage the spread of the virus,” the regulations state.
Gatherings of more than 100 people are prohibited to contain the spread of the virus, the regulations state.
Quarantine
People suspected of having contracted the virus, or who has been in contact with a person who has tested positive for Covid-19 (the disease caused by the coronavirus), may not refuse consent for a medical examination, prophylaxis, treatment, isolation and quarantine.
The minister of public works & infrastructure is expected to identify and make available sites to be used as isolation and quarantine facilities as the need arises.
The regulations reiterate that schools and partial care facilities have to be closed by 18 March until 15 April, after which, the period may be extended for the duration of the national state of disaster.
The regulations also include the suspensions of all visits by members of the public to correctional centres, remand detention facilities, holding cells, military detention facilities and department of social development facilities, including child care centres, shelters, one-stop centres and treatment centres.
The regulations also set a limit on the sale, dispensing or transportation of alcoholic beverages.
“All registered or licensed on-consumption liquor premises … including taverns, restaurants and clubs … must be closed with immediate effect, or must be limited to accommodate no more than 50 persons, provided that adequate space is available and that all directions in respect of hygienic conditions and limitation of exposure of persons with Covid-19 are adhered to,” the regulations state.
According to the regulations, people could be imprisoned six months or fined for spreading fake news about the Covid-19. — SANews