SOUTH AFRICA - OVER 120 000 COVID-19 VACCINES ADMINISTERED IN 24 HOURS WITH 868 NEW CASES REPORTED

Gauteng accounted for 605 of the 868 new COVID-19 infections that were recorded on Tuesday.

This comes as the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) flagged a peak in the seven-day moving average in new COVID-19 cases in the province. 

According to the NICD, the second hardest-hit province is the Western Cape with 52 cases, followed by 47 in Mpumalanga and 43 in the North West.

The increase represents a 2.1% positivity rate, pushing the total of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 948 760 since the outbreak.

As of Tuesday, the rapid antigen tests have been included in the country’s official COVID-19 statistics.

The NICD and National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) have optimised the systems to “accurately” reflect these reports, the statement read.

“The increase in cumulative cases in today’s report is attributed to the retrospective addition of 18 586 antigen tests that include the reporting of 868 positive cases recorded in the past 24 hours,” the institute said on Tuesday.

According to the NICD, the incorporation of antigen tests follows ongoing improvements to report as accurately as possible from all provinces and all testing facilities throughout South Africa.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health said a further 51 COVID-19 related fatalities have been reported, bringing the death toll to 89 635.

In addition, the department reported that there are now 14 031 159 people who are fully vaccinated after 120 311 jabs were distributed in the past 24 hours.

Of the latest administered vaccines, 110 907 were given to adults, while 9 404 were received by children.

This means the country has now distributed 24 874 528 vaccine doses since the start of the rollout programme.

SAnews.gov.za