SA president announces start of mass testing

South Africa is on day five of a three-week lockdown

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South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has launched a mass screening programme for coronavirus.

On Monday evening, the president said 10,000 field workers would be visiting homes to screen people - and those found with symptoms would be quarantined either in their homes or in hospitals.

Mr Ramaphosa said the programme was a "new phase" in the fight against the spread of the virus.

The government is also developing technology that will help in tracking down all people who may have contacted people infected with the virus.

South Africa has 1,326 cases of Covid-19 - the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.

The country has reported three deaths as a result of the disease.

South Africans are currently on day five of a 21-day nationwide lockdown that was imposed last week to prevent the spread of the virus.

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Coronavirus

Cyril Ramaphosa

South Africa