Home News SA’s Covid-19 cases rise to 2 506, death tally now at 34

SA’s Covid-19 cases rise to 2 506, death tally now at 34

866

Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal account for more than 70% of the country’s cases

SOUTH Africa’s confirmed Covid-19 cases have increased to 2 506 with seven new deaths, taking the death tally to 34, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced on Wednesday afternoon.  

This means that there are 91 new cases from Tuesday’s tally of 2 415 cases. On Tuesday, the cases had jumped by 143 new cases.

Since the nationwide lockdown was instituted by President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 27, Tuesday’s rise of 143 new cases was the third highest spike after a 243 new cases spike on March 27 and a spike of 145 new cases on April 12.

Ramaphosa told the nation last week that the country’s average daily infection rate had dropped to around 4% during the lockdown, while before the lockdown was instituted the average daily infection rate was around 42%.

Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal continue to account for more than 70% of the country’s cases, with more than 2 000 cases between them.

Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban have also been highlighted as the country’s Covid-19 hot spots.

Meanwhile, the Netcare Kingsway Hospital in eManzimtoti, south of Durban, had to shut down its trauma unit earlier on Wednesday after staff and patients tested positive to Covid-19.

Netcare’s regional director, Craig Murphy, said the origin of the exposure has been traced to a patient who was admitted to the hospital via the emergency department on April 4 with a suspected stroke.

Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said she had sent a team of senior officials to investigate what had transpired and said they would expect consequence management if any negligence is found on the part of any individual.

The incident at Kingsway Hospital follows another at the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital, where more than 60 people linked to the hospital (staff and patients) tested positive for the virus. At least five people have died from coronavirus related deaths at the Durban hospital. 

Previous articleDept sets up mobile screening, testing clinics in city
Next articleHopes of Sundowns’ treble are fading