A team of researchers is warning that one million South Africans could contract COVID-19 within the next 40 days unless government takes drastic action.

The National Health Department on Sunday night said there were 274 coronavirus infections in the South Africa.

According to the Business Day, the teams modelling work shows aggressive containment is essential for slowing the spread of the virus.

They’re warning government needs to intervene to prevent the country reaching a tipping point of 100 locally acquired cases of the coronavirus.

Healthcare workers have on Sunday reiterated the impact of social-isolation in reducing the number of COVID-19 infections in the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans to practice social distancing and also put a limit of 100 people allowed at public gatherings.

Head of emergency medicine at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Professor Feroza Motara, said the vast majority of COVID-19 patients would be asymptomatic or have mild, flu-like symptoms.

Motara stresses the benefits of limiting our personal interaction.

“The more people stay at home, avoid public areas, avoid large social gatherings and maintain that distance of a metre or more apart, you are definitely making a difference in terms of decreasing the number of infections.”

These Cape Town residents, however, seem unfazed by the reality the country is now faced with.

One woman said: “Positive mind. I just hope and pray that it’s not going to affect me.”

“People should know that this is a God-fearing nation and what God won’t allow, won’t happen,” another added.

The City of Cape Town has imposed restrictions at local flea markets that would see no trading take place over weekends.