Covid-19 update: SA records 6,787 new cases and 199 deaths

As of Monday, South Africa has recorded a total of 2.540,222 positive cases of Covid-19, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, has announced.

6,787 new Covid-19 cases have been identified in South Africa, an increase that represents a 21.7% positivity rate.

The country has also recorded 199 Covid-19 related deaths, bringing total fatalities to 75,012 to date.

15,288,559 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

According to the NICD, the majority of new cases today are from the Western Cape (29%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (21%).

Gauteng accounted for 15%; Eastern Cape accounted for 10%; Mpumalanga, Free State and Northern Cape each accounted for 6% respectively; North West accounted for 5% and Limpopo province accounted for 2% of today’s new cases.

There has been an increase of 241 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– France Covid pass –

People in France must now show a health pass to order a coffee in a cafe or travel on intercity trains as President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial plan to squeeze infections and encourage vaccination comes into full effect.

– Mass cremations –

Sri Lanka begins mass cremations to clear a backlog of dead bodies from Covid-19 as cases surge across the island.

– Tokyo after the Games –

The Japanese capital wakes to a huge bill and soaring virus cases after pulling off a mid-pandemic Olympics that at times looked impossible and faced hostility at home.

– German exports soar –

For the first time since the virus wreaked havoc on trade, official data shows German exports soared past pre-pandemic levels in June as industry shrugged off supply chain shortages.

– Rugby blow –

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pours cold water on Australian hopes that their National Rugby League grand final could be played in front of a crowd in Auckland. 

– Over 4.2 million dead –

The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 4,294,735 people worldwide since the virus first emerged in late 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 616,829 deaths, followed by Brazil with 563,151, India with 428,309, Mexico with 244,420 and Peru with 196,950.