Prof Salim Abdool Karim on Monday night warned that the current decline in the daily number of Covid-19 infections was not an indication that the worst was over yet.

Abdool Karim, chairperson of the Covid-19 ministerial advisory committee and one of the country's most esteemed epidemiologist, was speaking during a webinar hosted by the Gauteng General Practitioners Collaboration.

“If we let our guard down or for a short while get complacent about our prevention strategies, our social distancing, mask-wearing and hand washing, the second surge is waiting to pounce,” he said.

Abdool Karim was speaking as health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced during the same webinar that the country had recorded 100 new Covid-19 related deaths in the past 24 hours.

The minister said the country had started to see a decline in the number of cumulative cases, but did not release the latest numbers of confirmed infections.

Abdool Karim added that it was possible to defeat the virus.

"It is possible to overcome - these predictions do not have to be true."

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