South Africa to shut public schools as COVID-19 outbreak worsens

Johannesburg [South Africa], July 24 (Sputnik/ANI): South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday that public schools will be shut from July 27 until August 24, in a bid to contain the worsening coronavirus pandemic.
"With the number of infections rising in several parts of the country there have been calls...for schools to be closed again," he said in a televised address, adding the cabinet had decided that all public schools "should take a break for the next four weeks".
Exceptions are Grade 12 learners who will be away from school for only a week until August 3. Grade 7 students will return on August 10. The current academic year will be extended beyond the end of this year.
Ramaphosa said his government was aware that a major and lasting disruption to learning will have a devastating effect on the prospects of an entire generation.
Over 130,000 new cases were confirmed in the country since July 12, bringing the total to 408,052. More than 6,000 have died.
The country now has the world's fifth-highest tally and half of all Africa's cases. (Sputnik/ANI)