100 more deaths, 8 810 new infections as Gauteng becomes SA’s Covid-19 hotspot

There are at least 54 000 people currently living with Covid-19 in Gauteng File picture: African News Agency (ANA)

There are at least 54 000 people currently living with Covid-19 in Gauteng File picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jul 9, 2020

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Johannesburg - Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced 100 more deaths owing to Covid-19, as well as 8 810 new infections, taking the total confirmed cases just under 225 000 cases since March. 

This means South Africa’s coronavirus death toll now stands at 3 602, with a majority of the deaths coming from the Western Cape (2 192 deaths), the Eastern Cape (582), Gauteng (478) and KwaZulu-Natal (223). 

The 100 deaths and 8 800 new cases were the most the country has seen since Covid-19 arrived in the country in March.

The more than 8 800 new infections reported on Wednesday night also mean South Africa had the fourth most new cases in the world on Tuesday – with only the US, Brazil and India recording more cases. 

The 100 new deaths also mean the country had the 11th most new deaths on Tuesday, with Brazil, US, Mexico, India, Peru, Russia, Colombia, Iran, Chile and the UK recording more deaths on the same day. 

South Africa now has the 13th most Covid-19 cases in the world, surpassing Saudi Arabia. 

Below we show how Covid-19 has swept through the country in four months, with cases rising from two infections on March 7 to over 215 000 cases on July 7. 

Deaths in the same period have risen from 0 on March 7, to 13 on April 7, to 161 on May 7, 998 by June 7 and 3 502 by July 7. 

Covid in SA over time

March 7

April 7

May 7

June 7 

July 7

Infections

2

1749

8232

48285

215855

Deaths

0

13

161

998

3502

Recoveries

0

No Data

3153

24364

102299

Active

2

1641

4918

22923

110054

Mkhize said confirmed cases since March now stand at 225 665 with just over 106 000 recoveries. 

Active cases – those of people who are currently living with the virus – stand at 114 241 across the country, with just a little under half of the known cases coming from Gauteng, which has just over 54 000 people living with the virus. 

Mkhize said the 100 deaths were from five provinces: the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KZN, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

In the Western Cape, there were 47 new deaths, the most in the country on the day along with the most new infections going to Gauteng. 

Mkhize said the new deaths were from: 

-

Western Cape, 47 deaths

-

Eastern Cape, 18

-

KZN, 18

-

Mpumalanga, 15

-

Limpopo, 2

South Africa is currently on Day 105 of its lockdown. The country is now on level 3 of an eased lockdown which has allowed millions of workers to return to work. 

Over 1.9 million have been tested for the virus. More than 36 800 people were tested in the past 24 hours. 

The country expects its Covid-19 peak between July and August, with Gauteng currently the province with the most active cases despite the Western Cape having the most infections and death.

Meanwhile, Gauteng now has more infections than the Western Cape, becoming the country's epicentre for the virus. Two weeks ago, IOL reported that the Gauteng province had surpassed the Western Cape with the most active cases in the country. 

BREAKDOWN

Infections

Deaths

Recoveries

Active 

South Africa

224665

3602

106842

114221

Gauteng

75015

478

19779

54758

Western Cape

73292

2192

53881

17219

Eastern Cape

42357

582

24304

17471

KZN

17962

223

5307

12432

North West

7147

36

1456

5655

Free State

3259

19

528

2712

Mpumalanga

2528

22

668

1838

Limpopo

2131

44

665

1422

Northern Cape

974

6

254

714

Mkhize said he was sending condolences to those who had lost loved ones and thanked health workers for treating the deceased. 

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased. The number of recoveries is 102 299, which translates to a recovery rate of 47,4%,” he said. 

IOL 

Related Topics:

coronavirus