As the number of coronavirus cases around the world continues to rapidly increase, so too does the spread of fake news and misinformation.

This morning (Wednesday, March 25), South Africa’s number of confirmed cases rose to 709, up 28% from the day before, which should help drive home the point of why a 21-day lockdown is so necessary.

You can keep up to speed with all the information we have gathered on the lockdown here.

For those who want to keep informed about the worldwide tally of cases and deaths, a great place to start is the Johns Hopkins University map that that has been widely shared.

At the time of writing, here’s what that home screen looks like:

When you click on each country, you’ll find a breakdown of deaths and recoveries, as well as active cases:

Secondly, Worldometers also has a running tally, as well as a number of graphs that are certainly not flattening:

This would be a good time to remind you that we will only see the effect of our national lockdown further down the line, so don’t lose hope, and start doubting the effectiveness of these measures, before then.

The lifestyle changes we are making now will save countless lives in the weeks and months to come, and we must remain vigilant.

Closer to home, Hydra Africa has an excellent breakdown of our South African cases:

With each individual case, you’ll find a breakdown of their infection status, where they travelled, and how many people they came into contact with.

Let’s take a look at Patient 1:

Further down the page, you’ll find a graph charting our confirmed infections, a gender breakdown, and other stats:

I recommend you have a click around yourself here.

Finally, if you enjoy fancy 3D graphics and renderings, Covidvisualizer is probably up your alley.

Spin the globe around, pick your country, and see what pops up:

Look at those numbers, and then consider the fact that the US government is pushing for people to return to work by Easter.

It’s every South African citizen’s responsibility to remain informed, especially with regards to sharing fake news and misinformation.

It takes a moment to Google, so please, think before you hit ‘post’ or ‘forward’.

Africa Check is also a great resource, and can be added on WhatsApp. Sign up by following these steps:

At present, Africa Check’s WhatsApp updates are coming quite regularly, debunking many of the false claims being widely circulated.

Finally, here are a few handy numbers to save now to your phone: