Daily Covid-19 update: Number of tests conducted surpasses four million

As of Friday, South Africa has recorded a total of 657,627 cases of Covid-19, with 2,055 new cases identified. The country has also recorded 85 new Covid-19 deaths: 5 from Eastern Cae, 9 from KwaZulu-Natal, 62 from Gauteng, 7 from Western Cape and 2 from Northern Cape. This brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths to 15,857.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers that treated the deceased patients. Our recoveries now stand at 586,844, which translates to a recovery rate of 89.2%,” said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

Today marks another milestone in SA’s fight against #COVID19. The cumulative number of tests conducted to date has surpassed four million! pic.twitter.com/KyNSbJEHEb

— Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) September 18, 2020

A week in Covid-19: infections rise, notably in Europe

As the number of infections increase across the world, and especially in Europe, here is a weekly roundup of developments in the coronavirus crisis.

– Most new cases –

After stabilising, the pandemic has strongly picked up pace this week, with 286,000 new cases recorded on average per day throughout the world, an increase of eight percent over the previous seven-day period.

In line with the past few weeks, the rate of infections is increasing the most in Europe, by 16 percent compared to the previous week. The number of new daily cases has tripled in Europe since early July, with 47,300 this week, compared with 15,000.

There has also been a jump in the Middle East, with 13 percent more and the United States and Canada 11 percent, Asia (seven percent), and Latin America and the Caribbean (three percent). The number of cases, however, continues to slow in Oceania (-20 percent), and in Africa (-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 –

The Czech Republic is the country in which the number of infections is increasing most, at 65 percent more or 1,300 new cases on average per day, among the countries which have recorded more than 1,000 new daily cases on average over the past week.

The Netherlands follows with 52 percent more, or 1,200 cases per day, Israel (37 percent, 3,950), the Philipines (33 percent, 3,900), Britain (32 percent, 3,400), Nepal (20 percent, 1,300) and Iran (20 percent, 2,500).

– Biggest drops –

At the other end of the spectrum the biggest decreases are in Ethiopia, (-41 percent, 600 new cases per day), Costa Rica (-20 percent, 1,000), Venezuela (-19 percent, 900), Bangladesh, (-15 percent, 1,600) and Mexico (-10 percent, 4,500).

– By region –

India, the United States and Brazil are the three countries which have registered the biggest number of new infections over the past seven days, with 93,200, 39,300 and 31,000 new cases per day on average, according to a toll by AFP on Friday at 1100 GMT.

Things are getting worse in all three countries with an increase of seven percent in India, and 10 percent in both the United States and Brazil.

Argentina follows with 11,100 cases, Spain 10,200, France 8,800 , Colombia 7,000 and Peru, 5,8000.

– Deaths –

India has registered the most deaths over the past week with 1,160 per day on average, ahead of the United States (840), Brazil (770), Mexico (360), Argentina (220), Colombia (200) and Iran (140).

At the world level the number of daily deaths has dropped over the week by 10 percent, at 5,200 per day.

– Global toll –

The pandemic has killed at least 946,727 people in the world since late December, for more than 30.2 million confirmed infections. The United States remain the country which mourns the most deaths with at least 197,655. Brazil then follows with 134,935, India (84,372), Mexico (72,179) and Britain (41,705).

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