South Africa begins return to tougher virus measures

South Africa has begun a return to tougher lockdown restrictions for COVID-19 hotspots as it experiences a resurgence of new coronavirus infections, with more than 4,400 new cases in the past 24 hours.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced tougher restrictions for the city of Nelson Mandela Bay on Thursday including limited days and hours for the sale of alcohol, a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people, a night time curfew and a ban on alcohol consumption in public spaces. Alcohol-related trauma incidents like vehicle accidents have been blamed for diverting health resources from COVID-19.

Ramaphosa said the healthcare system in Nelson Mandela Bay could be overwhelmed if the government didn't intervene to prevent the spread of the virus. South Africa has had more than 800,000 infections since the outbreak began.