SA Records Over 1,000 New COVID-19 Cases as Country Moves to Level 1

South Africa on Sunday reported 1 168 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, down from 1447 the previous day, data from the Health Department showed.

According to the latest figures, 52 patients died from Coronavirus in the space of 24 hours.

Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said 25 fatalities occurred in Gauteng, four each in the Eastern Cape and Free State and two in KwaZulu-Natal, pushing the death toll to 49 993.

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patient,” he added.

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases now stands at 1 513 393, while 1 430 259 people have been healed from COVID-19 representing a recovery rate of 94.5%.

The country is now home to 33 141 active cases of which 9 734 are in KwaZulu-Natal, 6 487 in Free State, 6 168 in the Western Cape, 3 482 in Gauteng, 2 443 in the Northern Cape and 2 308 in the North West, 1 171 active cases are in Mpumalanga, 937 in Limpopo and 411 in the Eastern Cape.

The information is based on the 9 077 479 tests of which 22 836 were performed since the last report.

According to Mkhize, the number of healthcare workers who have received the Johnson & Johnson jab is 70 527 since the vaccination programme started two weeks ago.

Addressing the country about the latest COVID-19 developments, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa has emerged from the second wave.

“New infections, admissions to hospital and deaths have fallen significantly and continue to decline steadily,” President Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

The President told the nation that the country recorded just under 10 000 new infections last week.

“A month ago, in the last week of January, the country recorded over 40 000 new cases. And a month before that, in the last week of December, the country recorded close to 90 000 new cases.”

He believes that the “dramatic decline” in cases over eight weeks is due to a combination of the public health measures introduced, changes in behaviour and accumulating immunity in those who became infected in our communities.

“We were able to emerge from the second wave because most people adhered to the tighter restrictions and observed the basic health protocols, including wearing masks in public and social distancing,” he added.

Due to the decline in infections, he said the country could now ease some of the restrictions on movement and activity under Alert Level 1 lockdown regulations.

The World Health Organisation is reporting 113 467 303 confirmed global cases of COVID-19, including 2 520 550 deaths, to date. – SAnews.gov.za