SA records 17 493 new COVID-19 cases, Gauteng accounts for 10 806 of them

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has released the latest coronavirus numbers, which show that Gauteng has recorded a new record high of infections.

South Africa clocked a massive 17 493 new daily COVID-19 cases, taking the country’s total number of reported infections to 1 861 065.

Of these, Gauteng has recorded 10 806 cases.

CSIR Senior Researcher, Dr Ridhwaan Suliman, says 5 842 people are currently in hospital in the province and this already surpasses the peak seen in the second wave.

The national test positivity rate now stands at 24.9%, which is five times higher than the 5% where the virus is said to be under control.

Head of the Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, Dr Michelle Groome, warns that the increase in cases exceeds those seen during the first two waves.

#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 70,186 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 17,493 new cases, which represents a 24.9% positivity rate. A further 166 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 59,258 to date. Read more: https://t.co/T9UNz3YpK6 pic.twitter.com/ZGvhXFOA1L

— NICD (@nicd_sa) June 23, 2021

“The sharp rise in the reported daily COVID-19 cases is cause for concern, especially in the Gauteng Province where daily case numbers are exceeding those seen during the previous two waves. Ultimately, it is up to each one of us to play our role to reduce the spread of the virus by limiting our interaction with others, as much as possible, during this time.”

At least 166 people died of COVID-related illnesses in the past 24-hours.  The NICD says the latest deaths take the overall toll to 59 258. Gauteng accounts for most deaths provincially, having recorded a total of 12 382.

Tests and recoveries

The country has conducted a total of 12 703 421 tests, with 70 186 tests conducted in the last 24-hour cycle. The private sector accounts for 56% of total tests (7 176 061) while the public sector accounts for 44% of total tests (5 527 360).

1 671 391 people have recovered from the virus, translating to a 89.8% recovery rate.

Latest SA COVID-19 stats: