Cape Town - South Africa's confirmed Covid-19 cases have increased by 3 811 to 65 736 over the past 24 hours, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on Saturday.
The country also recorded a further 69 Covid-19-related deaths.
The total number of people who have died from Covid-19 since the first patient was identified 101 days ago now stands at 1 429, which represents a mortality rate of 2.2%, Mkhize said.
The Western Cape continues to have the highest number of infections and deaths, while the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga - with one Covid-19-linked fatality each - have recorded the lowest number of deaths.
All statistics supplied by National Department of Health
Deaths and recoveries
Of the latest deaths, 36 were from Western Cape, 24 from Gauteng and 9 from the Eastern Cape.
The statistics released by Mkhize on Saturday show that 36 850 people have recovered from Covid-19 to date. This represents a recovery rate of 56%.
More than 1 million people tested
To date, 1 087 887 tests have been conducted cumulatively with a total of 27 462 new tests over the past 24 hours.
As pupils across the country returned to school this week dozens of teachers were diagnosed with Covid-19 forcing a number of schools to shut their doors temporarily so that the appropriate safety measures and tacking and tracing could take place.
Mkhize warns against ignoring serious illnesses
Speaking in the Eastern Cape on Friday, Mkhize defended the lifting of the hard lockdown and government's decision to reopen schools. He said these measures were necessary since the level 4 and 5 lockdowns which had cripped the country's economy were merely meant to allow governmetn for the enevitable surge of infections which would accompany the onset of winter. The minister also warned that other serious illnesses live diabetes, Aids and TB should not be neglected.
“Whilst we are concerned about Covid-19, which is a serious problem… it’s also important to say that there are a lot of other diseases causing mortality out there that we can’t ignore. We can never create an impression that it’s fine to be safe from Covid-19 but you may still succumb to other treatable ailments like diabetes," the minister said.
Mkhize said that the country had not reached its Covid-19 peak and it was important for citizens to remain vigilant and follow safety protocols.
SAPS Covid-19 cases
During a crime-fighting operation in Soweto on Saturday, Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed that 1 685 police officers have tested positive for Covid-19 and that 14 officers have died.
Of the positive cases in SAPS, 1 034 were the Western Cape, 119 from Gauteng and 186 from the Eastern Cape, Cele said.
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