Covid-19 update: SA breaches 700,000 case mark, deaths at 18,370

As of Friday, the total number of detected Covid-19 cases is 700, 203, with 2,019 new cases identified since the last report, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced.

61 more deaths have also been reported: 14 from Eastern Cape, 21 from the Free State, 11 from KwaZulu Natal, 4 from Gauteng and 11 from Northern Cape. This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 18,370.

“Of the 61 deaths reported today, 5 were reported to have occurred in the past 24-48 hours: 2 in the Free State and 3 in Gauteng. We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers that treated the deceased patients. Our recoveries now stand at 629,260, which translates to a recovery rate of 90%,” said Mkhize.

Below is the provincial breakdown:

Source: Health department

Source: Health department

Covid-19: Weekly infections explode in Europe

The number of coronavirus infections has continued to explode over the past week in Europe, but has declined in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

A weekly roundup from AFP’s specialised database:

– Explosion in Europe –

Around the world the pandemic has continued to pick up speed over the past week, with 342,550 new daily cases, an increase of nine percent over the previous week, according to an AFP tally on Friday at 1100 GMT.

But it is in Europe that the rate of infections has increased most, spiralling by a huge 44 percent. The number of new average daily cases there is around 121,227, against 84,400 the previous week.

The number of cases also rose in Oceania by 66 percent, in North America by 17 percent and Africa by 16 percent.

However the number of infections has decreased in Latin America and the Caribbean and in the Middle East by 15 percent, as well as in Asia (down by seven percent).

The number of confirmed cases only reflects a fraction of the actual number of infections, as different countries have different counting practices and levels of testing.

– Biggest increases –

It is in Switzerland where the pandemic is growing most with a 146 percent rise, or 1,771 new daily cases on average, among the countries which have recorded more than 1,000 daily cases over the past week.

Belgium follows with 125 percent, or 6,235 cases, Poland (111 percent, 5,472 cases) Italy (106 percent, 6,172 cases) and Slovakia (78 percent, 1,214 cases).

– Biggest drops –

Israel, which at the start of the week emerged from a second lockdown, has seen the biggest drop in infection numbers, with 60 percent less, or 2,114 new daily cases.

Mexico follows with -46 percent, or 4,346 daily cases, Brazil (-22 percent, 20,135 cases) and as in the previous week Iraq (-18 percent, 3,175) and India (-10 percent, 67,349).

– Most infections –

India remained the country with the biggest number of new infections over the past week, with 67,349 cases on average per day, before the United States with 53,746 and Brazil 35,235.

While the number of new infections is going down in India and Brazil, it is going up in the United States (18 percent more).

France follows with 19,714 cases or 47 percent more, Britain 15,972 or 32 percent, Russia (13,437, 26 percent) and Argentina (13,242 percent, one percent).

– Deaths –

India last week again mourned the most deaths, at 820 per day, or 16 percent less, followed by the United States (724, five percent more), Brazil (500, -18 percent), Argentina (376, nine percent) and Mexico (313, -56 percent).

– Global toll –

The pandemic has left at least 1,099,000 people dead since it first emerged in China in late December, out of more than 38,970,000 confirmed infections.

The United States remains the country with the highest death toll with 217,717 deaths, before Brazil 152,460 dead and India 112,161.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.