Over 1 000 pupils and teachers test positive for Covid-19 in Western and Eastern Cape

- More than 550 pupils, teachers and support staff have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Eastern Cape, while 154 provincial schools have been temporarily closed, the education department said on Friday. 

- More than 700 teachers and school staff and 88 pupils have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Western Cape to date according to this week's provisional stats, Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has said.

Tourism Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, will host a virtual media briefing at 17:00 today to outline the amendment to regulations for the advanced Covid-19 Alert Level 3 which impacts on the tourism sector. 

The Minister will also utilise the briefing to provide an update on the intervention to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the tourism sector.  

Follow it live on News24.

Govt lawyers in sudden about-turn, get court to delay cigarette case until August

British American Tobacco South Africa's case challenging the tobacco ban was due to be heard next week. Now it has been postponed for more than a full month until early August.

BATSA says the "shock news will... cost South Africa more than R1.4 billion and thousands of jobs as justice is delayed by almost six weeks."

Covid-19 wrap: One-day record as cases surge in US, while Mexico tops 25 000 deaths and 200 000 cases

The governor of Texas temporarily halted the state's reopening as Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations surged and the US set a new record for a one-day increase in cases.

WATCH | Covid-19: 'We didn't know who was going to be next' - EC hospital worker's fear

A staffer at the Wilhelm Stahl Hospital in the Eastern Cape has detailed the fear of watching other colleagues fall ill with Covid-19.

The hospital was forced to close down earlier this month for three days after 30 staff members were infected. 

Nurses and cleaning staff at the hospital, nestled in the small rural town of Middelburg, downed tools after the 30 were infected.

The Level 3 rules have just changed - what you need to know

New regulations have been published, which will open cinemas, museums and restaurants (for sit-down meals) - but not just yet. You can now exercise with three more people - but gyms must remained closed. 

Families forced to postpone funerals after 9 bodies stored in morgue with body of Covid-19 patient

The families of nine people, who died in Mpumalanga, have to wait before they can bury their loved ones after the body of a person who had died of Covid-19 was mistakenly stored in the same mortuary at KwaMhlanga Hospital. 

FEEL GOOD | Cape Town domestic worker runs food aid programme for neighbours in her free time

Worried about her hungry neighbours suffering during the Covid-19 lockdown and job wipe-outs, Cape Town domestic worker Lauren Juries has started a soup kitchen in her flat in Ottery.

Covid-19 stigma: Woman forced to flee home after family rejects her

A Middelburg woman left home in fear of being victimised after testing positive for Covid-19.

A local councillor says stigma around Covid-19 is getting worse in the area, and people are demanding the government tell them on which street infected community members live.

Coronavirus morning update: Date set for cigarette sales ban challenge to be heard in court

Your latest coronavirus news: British American Tobacco South Africa and Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are set to face off in court next week over the cigarette sales ban.

Restaurants, cinemas and casinos are now unbanned – but must wait for more rules before opening

A number of leisure activities were technically unbanned under Alert Level 3 of SA's lockdown late on Thursday night – but in a way that still makes it illegal for establishments to actually open their doors.

SA recorded it's highest number of coronavirus infections - 6 579 - in 24 hours bringing the number of infections to 118 375.

The total number of deaths is 2 292 - 2 from Gauteng, 15 from KwaZulu Natal, 17 from Eastern Cape from 53 Western Cape.

The number of recoveries is 59 974 which translates to a recovery rate of 50,7% health minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.

Here's some of our top stories:

EXPLAINER | Level 3: What we know about restaurants reopening

Eight days since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that restaurants, hair salons and nail salons would be allowed to reopen for sitdowns under Level 3 of the lockdown, restaurants are still waiting on the government to publish regulations.

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said there was a limit to how long businesses such as restaurants could remain closed during a lockdown, and that government support was not enough to keep them open.

'There isn’t much merit from a scientific perspective in banning smoking' - top scientist

Top scientist Professor Shabir Madhi says that, from a scientific perspective, there isn't much merit in preventing the sale of cigarettes but allowing people to buy alcohol.

Madhi, the professor of vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand and the director of the Medical Research Council's respiratory and meningeal pathogens research unit, was responding to a question on the "cigarette debate" on a MyHealthTV.com webinar on Wednesday.

Western Cape building a 'mass-fatality facility' for Covid-19 corpses

Cape Town will soon have a "Mass-Fatality Temporary Facility" to refrigerate and store hundreds of patients who succumb to Covid-19.

This was announced on Thursday by the Western Cape provincial government, which is building the site in partnership with the City of Cape Town.

The surge was expected - Gauteng health MEC as positive cases rise to 26 156

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says the surge of cases in the province was expected after it recorded the second highest number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

As of 25 June, the province had recorded 26 156 positive cases, with 6 627 recoveries and 147 deaths.

Can we drink, smoke or have sex in quarantine? - Capetonians ask govt

Many people are refusing to be quarantined and isolated in the Western Cape.

Among the concerns are not being able to drink, smoke or have sex. Others are worried about their homes and Covid-19 stigma if word gets out they have the virus.

EXPLAINER | Level 3: What we know about restaurants reopening

Eight days since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that restaurants, hair salons and nail salons would be allowed to reopen for sitdowns under Level 3 of the lockdown, restaurants are still waiting on the government to publish regulations.

In a televised address, Ramaphosa said there was a limit to how long businesses such as restaurants could remain closed during a lockdown, and that government support was not enough to keep them open.

Motshekga: 98% of pupils back at school

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga justified the decision to reopen schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic, saying 98% of pupils have returned to schools.

"The response confirms the correctness of our decision," she told the National Council of Provinces on Thursday."

#WesternCapeCovidUpdate

A new "Mass Fatality" facility is being built in Cape Town to deal with mass-deaths.

At Tygerberg Hospital.

Including "12 refrigerated containers" for COVID-19 corpses.@News24 @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/sSXM9BM0tE

— MURRAY WILLIAMS (@MurrayRSA) June 25, 2020

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says the surge of cases in the province was expected after it recorded the second highest number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.

As of 25 June, the province had recorded 26 156 positive cases, with 6 627 recoveries and 147 deaths.

"Gauteng is the highest in terms of active cases. We are worried about this as our recoveries are slowing down. They are only the 10% of the country," Masuku said at a virtual briefing on Thursday.

If one subtracts the recoveries, this means the province has 19 529 active cases.

"The surge was expected, especially with the changing levels of lockdown. The virus will spread with increased activity - therefore as a society we need to limit unnecessary activity.

"We see people organising parties and gatherings. That is something we discourage as that is how the spread can continue," he added.

The stats were presented by the provincial government during a command council update meeting with the media.

The presentation showed that during Level 4 (1 to 31 May), cases recorded were 2 557, with 1 166 recoveries and 22 deaths but during the period of 1 June until present (Level 3 lockdown), 22 123 cases were recorded, with 4 513 recoveries and 114 deaths.

Two nurses died of Covid-19 at Groote Schuur Hospital, the Western Cape Department of Health said on Thursday.

Sister Eva Isaacs had worked at Groote Schuur Hospital for 20 years. Sister Patricia Coetzee had worked for 34 years, including in the intensive care unit.

"We express our sincere condolences to their family, friends and colleagues. They were both well respected members of the nursing team. 

"Their hard work and commitment will always be remembered and missed by their colleagues."

Two Groote Schuur Hospital nurses with 54 years of years of experience between them, have died of Covid-19. The hospital said they were both well-respected members of the nursing team | @itchybyte https://t.co/zRLssXccpN

— News24 (@News24) June 25, 2020

58 learners, 188 educators tested positive for Covid-19 in Gauteng

176 schools in Gauteng have been affected by Covid-19 in the province, MEC Panyaza Lesufi revealed during the weekly Provincial Command Council update on Thursday.

"Of those schools, 58 learners and 188 educators tested positive.

"We are working very hard to ensure that the affected schools are reopened," Lesufi said.

Lesufi was providing an update on the status of schools since they opened their doors to Grade 7 and 12 pupils on 8 June under Level 3 of the lockdown.

In addition, 95% of the schools in the province remain operational, with 2 045 out of the 2 161 reopening.

The department has received close to 1 000 applications from teachers who claim to be living with co-morbidities asking to be able to teach from home. The majority of these emanated from Ekurhuleni South. Close to 500 pupils living with co-morbodities have also made applications. The majority of these also came from Ekurhuleni South.

SA’s biggest cigarette maker is now accepting orders – and some stores hope for 1 July delivery

British American Tobacco has confirmed it is accepting "holding orders" from customers, so cigarettes can get to stores quickly once the ban on their sale is lifted.

It did not comment on when that may be.

Some stores are betting on the tobacco prohibition being lifted on 1 July, and are preparing for a rush when it does.

PICS | 'It's not the right time' - Cape Town teachers protest for schools to close amid Covid-19 peak

Teachers from several Cape Town schools protested in morning traffic on Thursday - demanding schools be closed to protect pupils and teachers' lives.

Covid-19 wrap: US infections soar to near record, Gulf passes 400 000 cases and Eiffel Tower reopens

Keeping you up to date on the latest novel coronavirus (Covid-19) news from around the world.

'We are only here a short while' - grieving brother of Cape Town doctor who died of Covid-19

Dr Fuad Jakoet was a doctor from a well-known family of physicians, who plied their trades in many Cape Town communities. Jakoet died of Covid-19 on Youth Day, with Salt River in mourning for the beloved doctor.

'There isn’t much merit from a scientific perspective in banning smoking' - top scientist

One of the country's top scientists has argued that, from a scientific perspective, there isn't merit in banning smoking but allowing the sale of alcohol.Professor Shabir Madhi says the damage caused by smoking does not occur overnight, and says the discussion around the sale of cigarettes has become unmanageable.

Coronavirus morning update: Warning from top scientist, and the latest on Western Cape

SA will probably experience 3 to 4 spikes into 2022, says a top scientist; and almost 1 000 people are in strict quarantine as Covid-19 "peaks" in the Western Cape.

South Africa's Covid-19 death toll has surged pass the 2 000 mark as of Wednesday, according to Health Minister Zweli Mhkize.

"Regrettably, we report a further 103 Covid-19 related deaths - 15 from Eastern Cape, 25 from Gauteng and 63 from Western Cape. This brings the total deaths to 2 205."

The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases is 111 796 with 5 688 new cases identified.

1 416 894 tests have been completed in total of which 34 122 new tests are reported.

Here are some of our top stories of the day in 7 tweets:

https://t.co/By0KBr5HQV | Madonsela and co: Govt should have considered social impact of Covid-19 regulations https://t.co/VzfxkSLLlc

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

High Court judgment which declared some lockdown regulations invalid, needs to be assessed by a higher court irrespective of whether it is correct or not, Dlamini-Zuma's legal representative has argued in her leave to appeal application. | @AlexMitchley https://t.co/g3mVukpkSN

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

Covid-19: Should more grades return to school amid spike in cases? Here's what unions think | @Sesona_Ngqaks https://t.co/tGeOma6GG2

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

https://t.co/By0KBr5HQV | EC education dept denies over 200 Covid-19-positive pupils, staff were left stranded outside hotel https://t.co/Z4BTEifSS4

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

https://t.co/By0KBr5HQV | Covid-19: We are fighting 'a biological warfare war' - SANDF https://t.co/ZJV8qfYGyF

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

https://t.co/By0KBr5HQV | Almost 1 000 people in strict quarantine as Covid-19 'peaks' in the Western Cape https://t.co/fwnem9PmLc

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

City hairstylists and beauticians have reported an overwhelming response to their reopening after lockdown restrictions | @WitnessKZN https://t.co/cjkMeLVvkw

— News24 (@News24) June 24, 2020

Covid-19: Cape Town principals call on Ramaphosa to close schools

Principals, teachers, and parents plan to picket in Cape Town on Thursday against the "premature reopening of schools" which they say is compromising the safety of pupils during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A group of high and primary school principals wrote a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet a week ago, appealing to the government to review its decision to reopen schools.

The letter - compiled by principals from Heathfield High, Steenberg High, Floreat High and Athlone High - said "the decision to reopen primary and high schools on 1 June was the wrong one. We contend that the timing is bad as wintry weather brings with it seasonal illness such as influenza … suffering and death due to Covid-19 are rising".

"As concerned principals, we are invoking constitutional, revolutionary and spiritual values in reaching out to you our country's leaders…

"As principals who care, we have to consider and fight for the right to life of human beings under our watch. Our children and teachers are terrified of contracting the coronavirus… Personal protective equipment, such as masks, is no guarantee against infection.

"We ask that schooling be suspended countrywide… We are willing to meet with a Department of Basic Education delegation to discuss a postponement of the external matric examinations and a trimming of the subject lesson content," said the principals.