SOUTH AFRICA - WITH ANOTHER 15 COVID-19 DEATHS, THE EASTERN CAPE NOW HAS A TOTAL OF 2968 WITH THE COUNTRY RECORDING 14678

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced 115 more Covid-19 related deaths and 2 063 new infections on Friday night.

This takes South Africa’s Covid-19 death toll to 14 678, and infections to over 635 078.

South Africa has the seventh most Covid-19 infections in the world, behind only the USA, Brazil, India, Russia. Peru and Columbia.

Columbia recently overtook South Africa to become the country with the sixth most infections in the world.

Since Monday, there have been 650 Covid-19 related deaths in the country, while active cases in the country are now at 62582 according to the Health Ministry.

Globally, active cases stand at just over 7 million.

Although the number of new infections has slowed considerably, as has the rate of testing in the past week, daily deaths are also starting to slow, although they are still over 100 per day.

The Department of Health said it had now tested over 3.7 million people in the private and public sector, with almost 18 600 tests conducted in the past 24 hours.

South Africa’s coronavirus death toll now stands at 14 678.

The Western Cape still has the most deaths, with 3950, Gauteng with 3773, Eastern Cape with 2968 and KZN, with 2218, have the most fatalities in the country.

Of the latest 115 deaths, Mkhize said the most deaths came from Gauteng, Free State, KZN and the Eastern Cape.

Deaths by province:

Gauteng - 43

Free State - 18

KZN - 15

Eastern Cape - 12

Limpopo - 12

Northern Cape - 11

Western Cape - 4

This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 14 678.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers that treated the deceased patients.

“Our recoveries now stand at 557 818 which translates to a recovery rate of 88%,” he said.

The minister also told Parliament on Wednesday, that the country had passed it’s Covid-19 storm.

Also this week, Wits University vaccinologist Professor Shabir Madhi said community transmissions were slowing and that the positivity rate had almost halved between level 5 and level 2, going from 27% to 15% currently.

Madhi said they expected further decreases in the next few weeks, but stressed it was not the time for Covid-19 complacency.

via - IOL