South Africa to impose 21-day lockdown to curb coronavirus

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday ordered a 21-day lockdown to stem the tide of deadly coronavirus that has so far claimed over 14,000 lives across the globe.

"Those countries that have acted swiftly and dramatically have been far more effective in controlling the spread of the disease. As a consequence, the national coronavirus command council has decided to enforce a nationwide lockdown for 21 days with effect from midnight on Thursday from the 26th of March," informed Ramaphosa in a video posted on his Twitter account.

"It is essential that every person in South Africa should adhere strictly without exception to the regulation that has already been put in place and to follow the measure announced today," he added.

In South Africa, the number of confirmed cases has increased six-fold in just eight days, from 61 to 402 cases.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of cases worldwide has surpassed 3,30,000, while the number of deaths has exceeded 14,000.