Durban - For the first time since the peak of second Covid-19 wave in December, South Africa has breached the 5000 mark for daily new infections.
This was the startling data that emerged on Wednesday night when the National Department of Health daily statistics on new infections and death showed that 5 782 new cases reported.
“This represents a 12,7% positivity rate,” Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.
“We will be monitoring this increase in positivity rate to see if it sustains and meanwhile urge all citizens to remain vigilant and adhere to non-pharmacuetcal interventions, even if vaccinated,” he said.
In addition to the spike in the positivity rate South Africa’s Covid-19 data showed that Gauteng was experiencing a greater surge in new infections than the rest of the country.
The health department has urged residents in that province to take extra caution and adhere to no pharmaceutical interventions.
This as the South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium Epidemic Explorer showed that daily hospital admissions have increased in four provinces.
Average hospital admissions in the last week us also up with the Free State showing a 75% increase, Gauteng, 32%, Northern Cape 55% and the North West, 46%.
The surge in new infection come amid 110 new Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday that took the total number of deaths related to the virus to 56 711 deaths.
The cumulative total of tests conducted to date was 11 713 400 with 45 484 new tests recorded since Tuesday.
The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases identified in South Africa was 1 675 013 with
Of the 110 new deaths, the Eastern Cape recorded 0, the Free State 11, Gauteng 54, KwaZulu-Natal 4, Limpopo 11, Mpumalanga 4, North West 16, Northern Cape 7 and Western Cape 3.
The Health Department said the provinces were continuing their mortality audits and have captured deaths as far back as November 2020.
South Africa’s recoveries now stand at 1 565 684, representing a recovery rate of 93,5%.
The total vaccinated under the Sisonke Programme is 479 768.
The total vaccinated under Phase Two with the first dose of Pfizer vaccine is 637 801 bringing the total number of individuals vaccinated as of Wednesnday to 1 117 569.
IOL