South Africa's move to reimpose an alcohol sales ban as its coronavirus epidemic surges has eased pressure on hospital staff but cast a bleak spotlight on the country's booze culture.

In few other countries in the world have Covid-19 and alcohol consumption become so dangerously intertwined.

South Africa imposed a rare moratorium on alcohol sales to go hand-in-hand with a virus lockdown on March 27.

The ban was lifted on June 1 and emergency rooms suddenly teemed with alcohol-related cases: car crashes, gunshot wounds, stab injuries and accidents, which filled beds and diverted manpower from the soaring load of coronavirus patients.

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