The Covid-19 death toll has hit 4 346, while the number of cases now sits at 298 292.

The total number of recoveries is now 146 279 - a recovery rate of 49%.

Here are today’s top stories

New regulations say schools should not send pupils who do not have face masks home on their own. Instead, a pupil must be provided a face mask, or be kept in isolation until they can be sent home with a parent or guardian. This comes amid reports that a KwaZulu-Natal pupil was raped after being sent home for not having a mask.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union has resolved that schools should close until the Covid-19 peak passes. The union says that teaching and learning is being compromised because of the current conditions at schools.

Medical experts who serve on the government’s Ministerial Advisory Committee into the country’s Covid-19 response have once again criticised lockdown regulations - this time the latest regulations on taxi capacity. This after it was announced that taxis travelling short distances may do so at full capacity so long as windows were open. Experts said this could impact people’s health. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, meanwhile, explained that taxi windows must be kept slightly open to reduce the spread of the virus.

The DA’s Mbali Ntuli has spoken about her battle with Covid-19, describing the illness as feeling like having an elephant on her chest. The DA leadership hopeful said that she had been struggling with weakness and aches. She is the latest in a long line of politicians to contract the virus.

The economic impact of the pandemic continues to be felt, with Bidvest now considering possibly selling off or closing its car rental wing. The company said this is down to the significant impact lockdowns have had on the travel and tourism sector.

From drive-thru portrait paintings, to grocery deliveries to … a dinosaur that delivers face masks, South Africans are getting creative on new businesses to run during the lockdown. Business Insider takes a look at some of them.

Stay informed with News24

Special report | We remember those who died of Covid-19.
Lockdown latest | No booze, new curfew - Here are the latest changes made by government
Back to school | Should you let your little one back to preschool before the pandemic is over?
Stay safe | Advice for keeping safe in supermarkets, schools and on public transport
FAQs | News24 answers all your questions
Checklist | These are the first symptoms
Rolling coverage | All the latest Covid-19 news in one place

- Compiled by Kerushun Pillay

'Baby contracts Covid-19 in the womb', masks to be mandatory indoors in France - International Covid-19 news

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that face masks will soon be required in public indoor spaces to curtail the coronavirus outbreak, acknowledging that infections were again on the rise.

A young Tunisian woman was sentenced to six months in jail by a Tunis court on Tuesday over a parody posted on Facebook linking the Q'uran and Covid-19.

And, doctors in France have described what they said was the first confirmed case of a newborn infected in the womb with Covid-19 by the mother.

France held a scaled-down Bastille Day celebration on Tuesday, with none of the usual tanks and troops parading down Paris's Champs Elysees avenue, in a concession to the Covid-19 epidemic still stalking Europe.

Saudi Arabian officials said on Tuesday the kingdom has seen a decrease in the number of new coronavirus cases over the past seven days.

Pictured: A medical worker wearing a protective suit conducts a swab test at Beijing Puren hospital test station. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Covid-19: Western Cape using 60% of its oxygen supply in hospitals

As of 14 July, with Covid-19 cases still on the rise, the Western Cape is only using approximately 60% of its available oxygen supply, the province's premier, Alan Winde, revealed.

"The Western Cape is currently using approximately 29 tonnes of medical grade oxygen in our facilities daily, with the biggest consumption occurring at Tygerberg and Groote Schuur hospitals," Winde said.

"We are currently using approximately 60 percent of the available oxygen supply, so have sufficient supply margins available in the province."

SA's biggest wine exporter is having it tough under lockdown

At a centuries-old vineyard overlooked by South Africa's Drakenstein mountain, the country's biggest single wine exporter Distell is battling a problem of plenty.

Prestigious wines, such as Nederburg, are bottled at the vineyard in Paarl, just outside Cape Town, and shipped locally and worldwide.

But the shipping can't keep pace with the combined impact of an abundant harvest and lockdown disruption that has led to a glut that sits maturing in French oak barrels or stored in metal vats at wine estates.

Tunisia woman gets 6 months in jail for Covid-Q'uran social media post

A young Tunisian woman was sentenced to six months in jail by a Tunis court on Tuesday over a parody posted on Facebook linking the Q'uran and Covid-19.

Emna Charki, 27, was found guilty of offending religion and "incitement to hatred" in a 4 May satirical post entitled "the Corona Surah", mimicking the Q'uran in reference to the illness.

"There's no difference between kings and slaves, follow science and ignore traditions," a passage reads.

Pictured: A Muslim woman prays during the coronavirus pandemic.

Nearly R10bn in Covid-19 tax relief provided to individuals, businesses

Members of Parliament's standing and select committees on finance on Tuesday were briefed by Treasury and SARS officials on tax bills pertaining to the national state of disaster.

Nearly R10 billion in tax relief has been provided to individuals and businesses, as part of efforts by National Treasury and the South African Revenue Service to cushion the blow of Covid-19, members of Parliament have heard.

SAFA CEO clarifies: We were never against the resumption of the PSL season

Acting CEO Tebogo Motlanthe on Tuesday clarified that the South African Football Association (SAFA) was not against resuming the 2019/2020 season.

SAFA though, insists that safety procedures must be followed as the resumption of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) draws closer.

"We've had further discussions with more information being brought forward by the PSL and we will soon communicate publicly what our own position is," said Motlanthe. 

Ailing Eastern Cape turns to powerful organisations to bolster fight against Covid-19

- The Solidarity Fund has pumped in R75m extra to the Eastern Cape.

- The US Embassy has donated and installed 10 ventilators at two hospitals, with an additional 40 ventilators to be delivered next week. 

The Eastern Cape province is investing in advanced hospital equipment and has entered into alliances with powerful organisations to bolster its defence against the coming Covid-19 storm.

Maimane determined to head to court, as school closure bid receives over 192 000 signatures

The former DA leader spoke to News24 on Tuesday morning, and said being criticised and accused of politicking was nothing new to him.

As the Department of Basic Education (DBE) threatens to go to court to block disruptions at schools, One South Africa Movement (OSAM) leader Mmusi Maimane has said they are also willing to head to the highest court in a bid to halt teaching in classrooms amid the Covid-19 pandemic peak.

Covid-19 vaccine and Russia: Only first part of trial completed, and still a long way to go

As the world scrambles to find a vaccine for the contagious Covid-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus, any headline proclaiming progress will make us feel more positive in a time of uncertainty.

On 13 July 2020, it was reported that Russia became the first country to complete clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate after Sechenov University announced that it had "concluded the study".

Covid-19 wrap: UK death toll nears 56 000, Australia pubs clampdown and Belgium reports zero deaths

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 573 091 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday.

Virus resurgence sparks Sydney pubs clampdown

Sydney pubs were ordered to clamp down on customer numbers Tuesday as a coronavirus outbreak worsened in Australia's two biggest cities.

OPINION | A stricter lockdown was not an option

South Africa can still the turn the corner in the fight against Covid-19, by helping each other to behave responsibly, instead of scolding each other and accusing the poor of being barbaric when we did not bother to engage in meaningful education regarding the meaning of Covid-19.

Covid-19: Bidvest may close or sell its car rental division

Bidvest is weighing its options on the possible sale or closure of its car rental business as it struggles to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Given the dire reality facing our industry and the expected significant volume reductions in the travel and tourism sector, we must recognise that our business is not protected from the economic devastation," Paulette McGhee, CEO of Bidvest Car Rental, said in an emailed response to queries.

Covid-19 wrap: 571 854 global deaths, US adds nearly 60 000 cases and Bolsonaro fed up with quarantine

More than 13.14 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 571 854 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Covid-19: Alcohol sales ban will bring us relief - Gauteng health MEC

Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says the provincial government welcomes the decision of the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to immediately suspend the sale of alcohol.

On Monday, News24 reported that Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, one of Gauteng's largest health facilities, saw more trauma cases as lockdown restrictions were eased and the sale of alcohol resumed.

Alcohol ban and taxi capacity: Govt is going about it wrong, say experts

The experts, who also serve on the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC), said government need to come up with a more comprehensive plan on how to manage the increase in Covid-19 infections.

Coronavirus morning update: SA's 'hotspots of hunger', and alcohol industry 'blindsided' by ban

SA is faced with the double storm of Covid-19 and hunger, minister warns; and the alcohol industry says it was blindsided by the reinstatement of the ban on alcohol.

The Covid-19 death toll has hit 4 172, while the number of cases now sits at 287 796.

The total number of recoveries is now 138 241 - a recovery rate of 48%.

Here are today’s top stories

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has defended the government’s U-turn on alcohol, saying that it was meant to relieve unwanted strain on healthcare facilities which are already under pressure from Covid-19 patients. Alcohol-related incidents were seen to be causing an increase in trauma patients, Mkhize said.

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has turned to the Supreme Court of Appeal for leave to appeal a ruling which declared six Level 3 lockdown regulations invalid. On 2 June, a judge granted an application to declare some of the regulations unconstitutional and invalid. Dlamini-Zuma now says, however, that the high court erred in some specifics of its ruling.

Meanwhile, Dlamini-Zuma has revealed that 500 South Africans are infected with Covid-19 every hour - about 12 000 infections every 24 hours. She was addressing the nation to provide details on the latest regulation changes.

The Restaurant Association of South Africa is seeking legal council with the view of suing the government for financial loss restaurants have suffered during the lockdown. The association also wants a rebate on liquor licenses because of their inability to serve alcohol at this time.

There has been more evidence that people have been flouting social gathering regulations, with at least 25 people who attended a wedding in KwaZulu-Natal testing positive for Covid-19. The province’s premier, Sihle Zikalala, said a “sizable” group had attended the wedding.

The World Health Organisation warned Monday that there could be no return to normality any time soon as too many countries were bungling their response to the coronavirus pandemic. The WHO said countries were “heading in the wrong direction”, as they began to ease restrictions.

Stay informed with News24

Special report | We remember those who died of Covid-19.
Lockdown latest | No booze, new curfew - Here are the latest changes made by government
Back to school | Should you let your little one back to preschool before the pandemic is over?
Stay safe | Advice for keeping safe in supermarkets, schools and on public transport
FAQs | News24 answers all your questions
Checklist | These are the first symptoms
Rolling coverage | All the latest Covid-19 news in one place

- Compiled by Kerushun Pillay

'1 in 9 going hungry under lockdown', Covid-19 crisis 'will get worse', warns WHO - International Covid-19 news

Nearly one in nine people in the world are going hungry, with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating already worsening trends this year, according to a United Nations report.

And the raging coronavirus pandemic has the potential to get far worse if all nations do not adhere to basic healthcare precautions, the World Health Organisation warned.

Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Co. is temporarily closing its Hong Kong Disneyland theme park from 15 July amid rising coronavirus cases in the Chinese-ruled city.

American families were slightly less pessimistic about their finances and jobs in June, but remained concerned about their economic prospects amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey released Monday.

Two lawmakers in Madagascar have died of Covid-19 and at least 25 members of parliament and of the senate have been infected with the virus since the first case was confirmed on the island in March, President Andry Rajoelina said.

Pictured: Jockeys wear masks for a race in Sunbury, England. (Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Concern over increasing Covid-19 numbers in KZN

While the number of KwaZulu-Natal's Covid-19 cases is nowhere near to what was predicted, the rapid rise in cases and deaths over the last week are cause for concern, Premier Sihle Zikalala has said.

Zikalala said projected ICU admissions were also lower, with 45 patients in ICU and high care.

He added the recent increase in numbers meant more had to be done.

WHO warns of a global Covid-19 'resurgence': 'Many countries are headed in the wrong direction'

The World Health Organisation warned Monday that there could be no return to normality any time soon as too many countries were bungling their response to the coronavirus pandemic.

After a daily record of 230 000 new cases of Covid-19 were reported to the WHO on Sunday, the UN health agency said the pandemic was only going to get worse unless people stuck to the basics of physical distancing, handwashing and wearing masks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that countries that were easing their way out of lockdowns were now witnessing a resurgence of the virus because they were not following proven methods to reduce risk.

Covid-19 surge coming at a lower level than initially predicted - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Monday said as the country enters its Covid-19 surge, it will come at a level lower than what had been initially expected.

"The data shows the surge will come in July, August and September, but at a lower level than what had been predicted," he said during a media briefing on Monday afternoon.

The reason, said Mkhize, is down to government's early interventions, including a hard lockdown in March.

"It's not inevitable that whatever was predicted is actually what's going to happen, and so we can have the surge at a lower level even though the peak is now. But it may not necessarily be at the worst, pessimistic scenario," Mkhize explained.

He again used the opportunity to implore people to change their social behaviour in the midst of the pandemic.

"The imposition of the curfew is also strongly related to nocturnal activities and alcohol use. This has more to do with inherent activities in people’s free time at night that makes it more difficult to adhere to the regulations," said Mkhize.

"As a reminder, wearing of masks is about you protecting others more than it is about preventing yourself from catching the virus," he said.

The health minister also provided clarity on the ICU beds shortage matter, saying his department is on top of the issue.

"We haven’t reached the capacity of ICU beds... The national emergency intervention team is looking at increasing the number of beds. We are confident we can provide enough beds before the surge."

Also at the briefing was Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu who gave an update on the payment of the special Covid-19 social relief of distress grant.

Zulu revealed that over 7.5 million applications were received by her department through various electronic application platforms. Of this number, a total of 4 424 720 have been approved.

While there has been significant progress - over R1 billion has been paid - Zulu revealed that issues such as slow processing of applications, and a high number of declined applicants, have made it difficult to reach their desired targets.

"Given the limited financial resources available, we have to ensure that the money does reach only those who qualify for this support," she said.     

'Dear Angie, you don't know what we're going through': Teacher shares an emotional open letter

A teacher has approached Parent24 to anonymously share her heartbreaking experiences of returning to school under immense pressures and fears.

In her no holds barred letter to Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, she shares her daily battles of teaching children in a potentially unsafe environment. 

You won’t be arrested for not wearing a mask – but this may change

While wearing an "appropriate item that covers the nose and mouth" in a public place is mandatory, it is still not a criminal offence to go without, government confirmed on Monday.

"It must be embarrassing to move around without a mask. It must be cool to wear a mask," Ronald Lamola, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, said on Monday.

AfriForum withdraws court application dealing with Covid-19 quarantine facilities

Lobby group AfriForum has withdrawn its High Court application dealing with the repatriation of South Africans and the quality of quarantine facilities.

National Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize visited Thusong Multipurpose Centre in Khayelitsha which will serve as a Covid-19 site. (Brenton Geach, Gallo Images)

South Africa has thousands of potential Covid-19 quarantine hotels, but they're empty

Only a third - 139 out of 438 - of the government-approved facilities, where people who may have been exposed to the new coronavirus can quarantine at no cost, have occupied beds.

Nine out of 10 of such facilities are hotels, bed and breakfasts or lodges from which the state rents rooms for between R850 and R1 200 per person per night.

Zikalala reveals 25 people at KwaZulu-Natal wedding infected, some 'occupying Covid-19 beds'

At least 25 people who attended a wedding in KwaZulu-Natal last week have tested positive for Covid-19, with some of them now occupying hospital beds, Premier Sihle Zikalala has said.

For public comments, email comments@hsrc.ac.za

Mthembu thanks members of the media for their role in allowing the government to communicate with South Africans

Lamola: It must be embarrassing to move around without a mask, must be cool to wear a mask - says they had been reluctant to criminalise the issue but people have been reckless. Tweet from @tshidi_lee

Lamola says in the development of the issues of the masks in the first regulations there was no offence, no penalty, encouraged public participation. Tweet from @tshidi_lee

Mthembu calls for community and social mobilisation for people to wear masks.

All of us must be our brothers' and our sisters' keepers, says Mthembu.  

Everyone must wear a mask.  Shop owners must ensure that all their customers must wear a mask

On what the president said last night, we are here, says Mthembu

Lamola says that the department of health provided ministers with statistics regarding impact on the health sector

Mthembu says transport questions will be answered by the relevant minister tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:00

Lamola on consultations: he says they deem it necessary for people to still have comments but the regulations are applicable immediately.

"Can still consult while regulations are enforced." Tweet from @tshidi_lee

Dlamini-Zuma declines to expand on harm of tobacco as the "matter is still in court".  

Directs funding support question to minister for industry.  

Says that graphs show majority of people who get Covid are young, but the majority of those who die are the older ones.

Lamola says while enforcement will be heightened at night during a curfew.

You can be asked to explain where you are going during the day. Tweet from @tshidi_lee

Lamola speaking now. Says the issue with family visitations is that its a difficult space to manage... hugs, kisses and has been used to allow for house parties to take place. Tweet from @tshidi_lee