The Health Department has announced that the number of COVID-19 infections in South Africa has risen to 7,220.
This is an increase of 437 from Sunday’s announcement.
The number of deaths has also increased by 7 bringing the total to 138.
The Western Cape has the most infections with 3,362, followed by Gauteng at 1,661, KwaZulu-Natal 1,106, Free State 125, North West 35, Mpumalanga 53, Limpopo 39, Eastern Cape 814, Northern Cape 25 and unallocated infections 0.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the total number of COVID-19 tests conducted to date is 257,541 this is an increase of 11,794, which were done in the last 24 hours.
Mkhize says the total recoveries from COVID-19 is 2,746.
“Regrettably, we report 7 more COVID-19 related deaths: 6 from Western Cape and 1 from KwaZulu Natal. This brings the total deaths nationally to 138.”
Mkhize has expressed his condolences to the affected families and appreciation to the health workers who treated the patients.
The Health Minister says there are also 411 people hospitalized in the country.
“This translates to approximately 5% of all COVID-19 confirmed patients and this is consistent with the hospitalization rates that were seen in China. Our mortality rate has remained stable at around 1.9% since the first death was reported. This is below the world average which is 3.4% as estimated by the World Health Organisation.”
He says as Winter sets in South Africans will also be confronted with the additional burden of influenza and other pneumonias, bronchiolitis in children, exacerbations of asthma and chronic obstructive air- ways disease and winter related trauma, like burns injuries.
Mkhize has urged each and every South African to continue to play their part in easing the load on the health care system, to stay home, wear a mask at all times in public places and wash their hands regularly.
Faizel Patel
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