South African minister urges behavioral change in end-year festivities

File Photo: A waiter sanitizes a chair in a restaurant at the Montecasino complex in Johannesburg, July 3, 2020. /AFP

South Africa's Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize has urged citizens to be mindful of the country's COVID-19 situation as they embark on planned end year festivities.

He noted that many South Africans were expected to travel from one point to another to join in various festivities, and that if not managed, this could end up sparking a fresh wave of new infections in the country.

"As we go into the festive season there is huge movement across provinces, large gatherings, festivals etc. We need to find a way to manage this, so it does not become super spreading events," said Mkhize.

South Africa has recorded the biggest number of COVID-19 infections and deaths on the continent.

It's 814,565 number of confirmed cases is the 18th-highest reported globally.

Mkhize is however keen to curb further spread of the virus in South Africa, and has urged the country's citizens to "wear our masks, social distance, sanitise and wash hands."

"We have to manage COVID-19 by case management and behavioral change, until there is a vaccine," he said.