92 more deaths, 8124 new cases take Covid-19 infections closer to 160 000

A medical worker addresses some of the first vaccine volunteers, at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Africa’s first participation in a COVID-19 vaccine trial has begun as volunteers received injections developed at the University of Oxford in Britain. The large-scale trial is being conducted in South Africa, Britain and Brazil. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko)

Published Jul 1, 2020

Johannesburg - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced 92 more deaths owing to Covid-19, as well as 8124 new infections, taking the total confirmed cases to just under 160 000.

This means South Africa’s coronavirus death toll now stands at 2749.

Mkhize said confirmed cases since March now stand at 159 333, with 76 025 recoveries.

Active cases - those of people who are currently living with the virus - stand at 80 559.

Mkhize said the 92 deaths were from the four most-affected provinces - the Western Cape, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal - with each province experiencing double-digit deaths.

Mkhize said the new deaths were from the following provinces:

Western Cape, 37 deaths

Gauteng, 28

Eastern Cape, 17

KZN, 10

Mpumalanga, 4

South Africa is currently on Day 97 of its lockdown. The country is now on level 3 of an eased lockdown which has allowed millions of workers to return to work. Over 1.6 million have been tested for the virus. More than 36 000 people were tested in the past 24 hours.

The country expects its Covid-19 peak between July and August, with Gauteng currently the province with the most active cases despite the Western Cape having the most infections and death.

BREAKDOWN

______________

Infections

Deaths

Recoveries

Active

South Africa

159333

2749

76025

80559

Western Cape

64377

1896

44938

17543

Gauteng

45944

244

10534

35166

Eastern Cape

29340

439

14384

14517

KZN

10632

136

3770

6726

North West

4393

802

3584

Free State

1672

386

1277

Mpumalanga

1306

487

812

Limpopo

1175

520

645

Northern Cape

494

204

289

In terms of deaths, people aged 60-69 represented the most deaths with over 26.1% of the deaths.

Other deaths

Age 50-59 23.7%

Age 70-79 17.9%

Age 40-49 12.3%

For people aged 0-9, there were 3 deaths - representing 0.1% and for people aged 10-19, there were seven deaths, representing 0.2% of deaths.

People aged 20-29 accounted for 43 deaths (or 1.6%). People aged 30-39 accounted for 164 deaths (or 6%).

Mkhize said he was sending condolences to those who had lost loved ones and thanked health workers for treating the deceased.

“We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased. The mortality rate is 1,7% The number of recoveries is 76 025, which translates to a recovery rate of 47,7%,” said Mkhize.