Coronavirus live news: half a million under lockdown in Beijing; new curbs as Malaysia hits 'breaking point'
Half a million under lockdown in Beijing to stamp out a handful of cases; Malaysia to impose strict restrictions to fight surge in cases
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South Africa is struggling to cope with a surge in Covid cases that has already overwhelmed some hospitals, as people returning from widespread holiday travel along the coast spread the more infectious coronavirus variant.
AP reports that of particular concern is Gauteng province, the country’s most populous, which includes the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Authorities say it is already seeing a rise in new infections after people travelled to coastal areas, where the variant is dominant.
Zimbabwe has banned families from transporting their dead relatives between cities, as part of new measures stop traditional funeral rites that are believed to be increasing the spread of coronavirus.
The announcement, reported by AP, stops the custom where families take the dead to their areas of birth for ceremonies and burial. Police have also banned public viewing of bodies and the tradition of having a corpse stay overnight in the family’s home before burial.
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