Johannesburg, Jul 21 (PTI) South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has urged people to help the government fight the coronavirus as the country's death toll surged past 5,000, warning that any laxity to follow the basic health measures would lead to a spike in the infections.

The country has reported 3,64,328 COVID-19 cases with 5,033 deaths. A total of 1,91,059 people have recovered from the disease.

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“As Government, we have mobilised every resource, every faculty and wherewithal at our disposal to effect the necessary interventions,” Mkhize said on Monday as he called on citizens to play their part.

“But government cannot manage this unilaterally. Every single South African now needs to focus on adhering to recommendations pertaining to non-pharmaceutical interventions."

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Mkhize said the emerging laxity in basic measures was set to see soaring infections.

“We are extremely concerned that fatigue seems to have set in and South Africans are letting down their guard at a time when the spread of infection is surging. We see poor or no social distancing in communities. Masks are being abandoned or not worn properly and there is laxity setting in around frequent hand-washing," the minister said.

Mkhize predicted that this would cause a huge rise in infection numbers within the ensuing fortnight.

“We must all appreciate that there is a direct causal link between the surge of cases and our ability, or inability, to adhere to these very basic principles," he said.

“We do not have a vaccine. We do not have a cure. Our ability to break the cycle of infection depends on our willingness to remain focused and disciplined and take non-pharmaceutical interventions seriously,” Mkhize said.

He said the cooperation between the government and the people would result in beating the pandemic.

“We can beat this pandemic together. We have already proved this during the lockdown.

“It remains in each and every citizen's hands to admonish family members, colleagues, and friends who refuse to adhere to measures that protect lives by limiting the spread of this virus,” Mkhize said.

Meanwhile, social media was abuzz with pictures of masses of people at the funeral of struggle icon Zindzi Mandela, youngest daughter of the late President Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie.

Masks and social distancing were largely ignored at the service, with some politicians also sharing group photos ignoring these requirements. Calls have even been made for them to be charged, as not wearing a mask in public is now a punishable offence in terms of the lockdown regulations.

Funerals are also restricted to a maximum of 50 people by the regulations.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)