Covid-19 live updates: Prince Charles tests positive for the coronavirus

Prince Charles self-isolating at home after testing positive for Covid-19

Prince Charles has tested positive for the new coronavirus, his office said on Wednesday.

The 71-year-old is displaying mild symptoms of Covid-19 "but otherwise remains in good health", Clarence House said in a statement.

The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested for the virus but the results are negative, Sky News reported. 

Zweli Mkhize answers questions about SA's lockdown

Health minister Zweli Mkhize talked about the lockdown and how the coronavirus spreads on Wednesday morning. Further details are expected in the afternoon during the security cluster briefing, but this is what he said.

'It's worse than Christmas': car guard on panic buying

Payday brought with it a flurry of panic buyers, who rushed to retail outlets across Durban on Wednesday morning before the lockdown was implemented.

Members of the public queued outside, trolleys at the ready, while security officers restricted the number of people allowed into stores, in line with government's regulation of not more than 100 people being allowed to gather in one place.

Boss gives staff Netflix subscriptions, early salaries to ease lockdown stress

As many businesses panic about surviving the coronavirus lockdown, a digital consultancy and marketing firm in Johannesburg has sent staff home with an early payday and Netflix subscriptions to keep them occupied for the next 21 days.

Rebecca Karlovic, who joined the company in Fourways at the beginning of March, shared the good news on social media.

You should still be able to walk the dog and jog during lockdown, says Zweli Mkhize

Health minister Zweli Mkhize offered a ray of hope to SA’s dog owners and runners on Wednesday morning, saying these activities would be permitted during the three-week national lockdown, which begins at midnight on Thursday.

The lockdown announced by Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday night is intended to limit contact between people as much as possible and is focused on ending the mingling of large groups of people, said Mkhize.

However, people would still be able to go for a jog, or walk their dog, he said.

Gran celebrates 96th birthday while social distancing

A Fish Hoek woman's family were not on the fence on how to celebrate her 96th birthday, instead they were behind it.

Betty Tilling's grandchildren and great-grandchildren celebrated her birthday “from afar” while practising social distancing on Sunday.

Covid-19 cases jump to 709 in SA

Health minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has increased to 709 cases overnight.

There was an increase of 155 cases in a day up from 554 from Tuesday.

Hospital visits suspended from today: Netcare

All visiting hours for general wards, ICUs and high care units will be suspended with immediate effect, hospital group Netcare announced on Wednesday.

“In light of the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, we needed to take extraordinary measures to protect all health care teams and our patients who cannot be discharged,” said Dr Richard Friedland, Netcare CEO. 

Coronavirus lockdown in SA: Mzansi has questions about 'midnight'

The hashtag #Thursdaymidnight is trending on Twitter as many grapple with when the national lockdown will come into effect.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday that SA would be on national lockdown which will take effect on Thursday, March 26 at midnight. Thursday midnight will be at 00:00. This means Friday, March 27 is the first day of the shutdown.

SA shoppers ignore pleas to stop panic buying and stockpiling

It has been less than 48 hours since President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans not to stockpile ahead of the coronavirus lockdown.

Despite the plea, chain stores such as Checkers, Pick n Pay and Makro have seen shoppers filling up their trolleys and breaking social-distancing protocols.