Covid-19: 40 new deaths, 585 additional cases recorded in South Africa

• South Africa has recorded 585 new cases of Covid-19.
• Forty new deaths have been recorded, bringing the death toll to 89 555.
• Gauteng accounted for 33% of the new cases.

The country has recorded 585 new Covid-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the death toll to 89 555.

According to a National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) statement, as of Thursday, the country recorded 2 927 499 laboratory-confirmed cases.

"The NICD … reports that 585 new Covid-19 cases have been identified in South Africa, representing a 1.7% positivity rate," the statement read.

Gauteng is the most impacted, with 920 289 cases (33%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 516 047 cases (18%) and the Western Cape with 514 046 (16%).

The Eastern Cape accounted for 10%, Mpumalanga 7%, and the Free State 6%. The North West accounted for 4%, the Northern Cape 3%, and Limpopo 2%, according to NICD spokesperson Sinenhlanhla Jimoh.

Gauteng recorded 372 new cases on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal recorded 54, and the Western Cape recorded 40.

There was an increase of 33 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. There are 3 504 people in public and private hospitals.

South Africa has conducted 19 032 662 tests, of which 34 529 have been carried out in the last 24 hours.

According to the Department of Health, 24 471 210 vaccines have been administered.

To date, 13 691 010 adults are fully vaccinated, and 328 771 children have received a single dose.

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