South Africa says third coronavirus wave has passed its peak

South Africa’s government said a third wave of coronavirus infections has passed its peak, a development that could give it scope to ease a ban on alcohol sales and other restrictions.

The country recored 14,858 new cases in the past 24 hours, down from 16,240 the day before, indicating the pandemic was "on a downward trend,” acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi told reporters in Pretoria, the capital, on Friday. There were 4,998 new cases in the central Gauteng province, the epicenter of the latest outbreak, down from a peak of more than 16,000, she said.