Over 13 000 new infections in SA, as 27 more die taking death toll over 90 000
Johannesburg - More than 13 000 people have been infected with the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed on Tuesday, while 27 more people have succumbed to the virus.
The latest 13 147 positive cases bring the number of Covid-19 cases to over 3 million since March last year.
The NICD said the positivity rate now stood at 24.9% as over 50 000 people tested for the virus in the same 24-hour cycle.
“The NICD, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, continues to provide laboratory-based surveillance to inform the public health response towards Covid-19 in South Africa.
“Today the institute reports 13 147 new Covid-19 cases that have been identified in South Africa, which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 051 222. This increase represents a 24.9% positivity rate.
“As per the National Department of Health, a further 27 Covid-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing the total fatalities to 90 002 to date,” said NICD spokesperson Sinenhlanhla Jimoh.
The Gauteng province was still the province with the most new infections, with over 64% of cases coming from the province.
Gauteng was followed by KZN - with 11%, the Western Cape with 6% and the North West with 5% of new cases.
Mpumalanga accounted for 4%, while the Eastern Cape, Free State and Limpopo, accounted for 3%, while the Northern Cape accounted for just 1% of new cases.
In terms of hospital admissions, 383 people were hospitalised, taking the number of patients in hospital due to Covid-19 to over 3 798.
IOL