Daily Covid-19 update: 4 provinces record no deaths while KZN registers 70 fatalities

As of Monday, 22 March 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,538,451 with 599 new cases identified, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

85 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 1 from Eastern Cape, 2 from Free State, 5 from Gauteng, 70 from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), 0 from Limpopo, 0 from Mpumalanga, 0 from North West, 0 from Northern Cape and 7 from Western Cape.

This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 52,196.

Recoveries now stand at 1,463,953 representing a recovery rate of 95%. 

A total of 9,649,219 tests have been completed with 13,932 new tests conducted since the last report.

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccines that have been administered stands at 168,413.

#COVID19 Statistics in SA as at 22 March.

Use the COVID Alert SA app to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community. Start using this privacy preserving app today. Add your phone to the fight! Download the Covid Alert SA app now! https://t.co/8YKEqaiiRF pic.twitter.com/EvGCBzpbCy

— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) March 22, 2021

Two-thirds of SA could be infected

While South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout is undeniably not going to reach the target of 67% of the population by the end of the year, building herd immunity by having two-thirds of the population catch the virus would be disastrous – but a possibility based on the current vaccination rate.

DA leader John Steenhuisen on Sunday slammed the current snail’s pace of vaccinations.

“Undoubtedly the biggest violation of the human rights of South Africans has been government’s failure to procure Covid-19 vaccines, and its failure to put in place a roll-out plan for when it might one day purchase meaningful amounts of the vaccine,” Steenhuisen said.

Compiled by Neo Thale. Additional reporting by Rorisang Kgosana

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