Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday morning 24 March 2020 announced this after the Free State has an increase of 5 confirmed cases and now has a total of 18, while the North West has now recorded another case which brings their total to 5. The Northern Cape is the only province in the region which has not recorded new cases today. It therefor remains with two confirmed cases - a couple in Hartswater. 

Mkhize says Gauteng remains the epicentre with over 300 cases so far, followed by the Western Cape with over 100 cases. 

South Africa now has 554 confirmed cases, after yesterday's 402 - an increase of 152 cases. Mkhize explained that they do expect the number of confirmed cases to rise, with the curve hopefully flattening after lockdown.

On Friday 20 March 2020, OFM News broke the news that the first five confirmed cases were international guests from the United States, Israel and France, who attended a religious gathering of the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein. On Monday it was reported that the four latest confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus in the province were of congregants at this church.

The Free State Health Department ran a mass screening operation on Saturday at the church in question.

The Free State's Health MEC went on to report that of the 62 people screened for the virus, 9 displayed symptoms and were tested. Department spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, now confirms of this nine, four have tested positive.

Well-known writer and evangelist, Angus Buchan, and leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), Kenneth Meshoe, were amongst those attending the gathering. 

Meshoe, who on Sunday announced he would undergo testing for the novel coronavirus, was amongst other political leaders who met with Ramaphosa -coincidentally on the coronavirus - less than a week after he was at the Bloemfontein gathering.

OFM News