Covid-19 in SA: 15 465 new cases and three more deaths

File picture: Thobile Mathonsi/African News Agency (ANA)

File picture: Thobile Mathonsi/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Dec 19, 2021

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CAPE TOWN – South Africa recorded 15 465 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday and three more deaths, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said in a statement.

“Today the institute reports 15 465 new Covid-19 cases that have been identified in South Africa, which brings the total number of laboratory confirmed cases to 3 308 074. This increase represents a 30.7% positivity rate,” the NICD said.

“As per the National Department of Health, a further three Covid-19-related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 90 348 to date.”

A total of 20 690 811 tests have been conducted in both the public and private sectors.

The majority of new cases reported on Sunday are from KwaZulu-Natal, with 27% of them, followed by Gauteng with 23%.

The Western Cape accounted for 18%; the Eastern Cape accounted for 8%; Free State accounted for 7%; Mpumalanga accounted for 6%; Limpopo and North West each accounted for 4%; and Northern Cape accounted for 2%.

The 7-day average on Sunday was 31.3%, which was higher than on Saturday (31.0%).

According to the NICD, there has been an increase of 87 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

The government has urged citizens to get vaccinated for Covid-19, wear their masks properly, gather in ventilated spaces, avoid unnecessary gatherings, maintain a social distance of one metre or more, and wash their hands regularly in the day with soap and water.

IOL