Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says the number of coronavirus cases in the country has increased to 3 465. That’s a 5% increase over the previous figures and is consistent with previous rates of increase.
Mkhize was speaking in East London where he congratulated the provincial administration for its efforts to combat COVID-19.
At least 58 people have died from COVID 19.
Dr Mkhize says the number of tests conducted is 126 937 of which more than 5 000 were done in the last 24 hours.
“We make the point because we have been increasing the capacity of testing. The number of tests has averaged between 5 500 to 7 100 tests on a 24hr basis.
“This means that in Gauteng, we got 1 199 people who are positive; Western Cape 1 010; KwaZulu Natal 671; Eastern Cape is 345; Free State 106; Limpopo 27; North West 24; Mpumalanga 24; Nothern Cape 16; and others that are not yet allocated are 43.”
The Eastern Cape’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was given the stamp of approval by THE health minister. But the number of infections in the province rose sharply in the past week. The province currently has 345 cases.
The Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital is one of the quarantining facilities in the province. It is equipped to treat more than 100 patients.
Upgrades at 22 health facilities in the province will provide 2 000 extra beds.
The old section of Cecilia Makhiwane is being converted to accept COVID-19 patients.
Minister Mkhize says that there is additional space for a field hospital to be set up. He says the province is doing well with its preparations.
“I think that the province is going well with its preparation. I think most important for us is the fact that we need to anticipate the number of patients that will end up in hospitals and so, the way the province has handled this issue is quite encouraging.”
The Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane says the province has a long way to go to improve the health system.
Plans are also afoot to intensify intervention in the country’s prisons. There are 87 infections in two prisons in the province, 56 of whom are inmates and 31 officials.
Minister Mkhize says the biggest issue is overcrowding in prisons and there are processes underway to decongest the facilities.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation on Tuesday evening on additional economic and social relief measures that form part of the national response to the coronavirus.
In the video below, for a preview of what to expect, we cross to SABC News Political Editor, Mzwandile Mbeje at the Union Buildings in Pretoria:
More than 2.5 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 172,927 have died, according to a Reuters tally. infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
The US is leading in terms of the number of infections. Sherwin Bryce-Pease gives the latest coronavirus developments in the US:
Below is a Live Tracking of the cases, death toll and other information, updated daily:
