Johannesburg mayor goes into Covid-19 isolation

The mayor of South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, is self-isolating after a member of his staff tested positive for the coronavirus. 

A statement from Mayor Geoffrey Makhubo’s office said he would be taking the precautionary measure until his own test results are known. He previously tested negative for the virus. 

All staff in the mayor’s office have also undergone tests following the latest case.

A spokesperson said the mayor “will continue to monitor and provide guidance on work currently being carried out to contain and manage the spread of Covid-19 in the city whilst in self-isolation”. 

South Africa has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases on the continent, with over 50,000 recorded by Tuesday morning. Guateng province, which includes Johannesburg, has the highest rate of infections in the country, with 4,845 confirmed cases. 

On Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to be scared by the rising numbers after the total number of cases shot up by 50% in the last two weeks. 

School children in the country have begun a staggered return to lessons, with grade 7 and 12 pupils returning to school on Monday. Places of worship have also re-opened but with strict guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. 

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