South Africa's President CYRIL RAMAPHOSA has announced a mass screening programme as a measure to contain the spread of the corona virus.

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.

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

The country is currently on a 21-day nationwide lock-down that was imposed last week to prevent the spread of the virus.