A total of 13 373 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in South Africa, pushing the number of infected people to 337 594, said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.
A further 135 people have died, bringing the total to 4 804, after recording the highest death toll on Thursday of 216. The Western Cape has recorded 2 550 deaths, Gauteng 917, Eastern Cape 772, KwaZulu-Natal 378, Free State 47, North West 48, Mpumalanga 44, Limpopo 33 and Northern Cape 15.
Gauteng remains the new epicentre after its infections rose to 123 408, followed by the Western Cape with 84 254 cases, the Eastern Cape with 58 860 and KwaZulu-Natal with 37 722. There have been 178 103 recoveries.
The total number of tests conducted to date is 2 373 053, with 48 130 new tests conducted.
Mkhize also announced they will adopt the new guidelines set by the World Health Organisation, which include reducing the isolation period from 14 days to 10 days and will be applied with immediate effect
He said they would continue to test healthcare workers. “In the event of healthcare workers who have to go back and treat patients, after five days we have to check if they have any symptoms,” said Mkhize.
Data supplied by National Institute for Communicable Diseases
On Friday, Western Cape government infection statistics showed that the Klipfontein health subdistrict, which includes Nyanga, Gugulethu and Delft, had 7 624 confirmed cases, amounting to one in 50 people.
This means the subdistrict on the Cape Flats, with a population of about 380 000, has recorded more infections than the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape combined.
Meanwhile, while consultations continue between the Department of Basic Education and stakeholders on whether schools should close or remain open as Covid-19 reaches it peak in the country, the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools (Fedsas) is of the view there is no need for a shutdown.
Fedsas chief executive Paul Colditz said: "Nobody knows when the peak will be ending. It can be very late this year, it can be next year and it can be up until a point when we have a vaccine. We can't plan based on an uncertainty."
Also, Professor Lucille Blumberg, deputy director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, said there is no direct evidence that links smoking with severe Covid-19 cases. However, given tobacco's impact on the lungs, this could be possible, she added.
Data supplied by the Department of Health
"There is no direct and very good information or good studies to link smoking with severe Covid-19, but if you consider chronic lung illness and smoking and chronic lung problems are very closely associated, there must be some sort of link," Blumberg said.
The Solidarity Fund, created to help support SA’s health and welfare response to the Covid-19 pandemic, has earmarked R1.9 billion for the country’s health interventions as the number of infections surge.
To date, the fund has received R3.02 billion in pledges, with almost 300 000 people having donated to the fund.
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** If you think you have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 029 999 or visit sacoronavirus.co.za