President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday offered up his condolences to South Africans who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus (Covid-19), warning that the pandemic will get worse before it gets better.

On Monday South Africa’s confirmed cases stood at 50 879 with a death toll of 1 080.

“I would like to offer my condolences to all South Africans who have lost someone they love, and wish them strength, courage and hope in the days ahead. We should take this moment to remind ourselves that the coronavirus presents a real danger to all of us. While it may be an invisible enemy, it is nevertheless deadly,” said Ramaphosa.

Worldwide, there are over 400 000 deaths as a result of Covid-19 and the World Health Organisation said the situation was worsening.

Ramaphosa said Covid-19 was one of the most devastating pandemics in the last century.

He assured that in the weeks and months ahead government would continue to take necessary action to safeguard the lives of South Africans.

He pointed out that the national lockdown had bought government time to scale up capacity in the health system.

Government has secured thousands of hospital and quarantine beds, medical supplies and personal protective equipment, and has instituted training and protocols in all healthcare facilities to prepare for an increase in infections.

Ramaphosa warned that while most infected people would only experience mild or no symptoms at all, they could still spread the virus to others who may suffer far more than them.

He emphasised that people should cover their mouth and nose with a mask when in public, wash their hands frequently with soap or sanitiser and practice physical distancing in public transport or in stores.

“While our country has had sufficient capacity to cope with the rate of infection so far, we continue to monitor the situation closely. If necessary, we will impose a higher alert level in specific parts of the country to prevent a rapid increase in cases,” said Ramaphosa.