9 160 new COVID-19 cases reported in SA

South Africa has recorded 9 160 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1 832 479.  According to the  National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service,  this represents a 24.9 %  positivity rate.

The majority of new cases today are from the Gauteng province (69%), followed by the Western Cape (7%).

The NICD has also confirmed a further 93 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing total fatalities to 58 795 to date.

An increase of 1 155 hospital admissions has been reported in the past 24 hours.

Below are the latest coronavirus statistics in South Africa:

SANDF members to help Gauteng in COVID-19 fight

A delegation from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has arrived at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.

The SANDF has been deployed to assist in the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes as Gauteng is battling to contain the third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The Gauteng Department of Health says the SANDF will augment the staff complement in the province. More than 5 000 people are currently hospitalised in Gauteng with more than 12 000 deaths having been recorded since the start of the pandemic.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura says Gauteng is on fire when it comes to COVID-19 infections and has appealed to people to take the lockdown regulations seriously.

“This place is burning with coronavirus and our message is very very clear that everywhere around the province there is no exception the test positivity rate is extremely high now, we want to say to people that the chances of getting infected are extremely high wherever you are.”