Daily Covid-19 update: New cases drop to 16,726, deaths at 418
Earlier on Friday, Life Healthcare group said the second Covid-19 wave had resulted in a higher number of patients being admitted to its hospitals daily than in the first wave.
Picture:Nigel Sibanda
As of Friday 1 January 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,073,887, with 16,726 cases identified in the last 24 hours.
Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize said in a statement: “Regrettably, 418 more Covid-19 related deaths have been reported today [Friday]: Eastern Cape 66, Free State 8, Gauteng 66, KwaZulu-Natal 134, Mpumalanga 6 and Western Cape 138. This brings the total to 28,887 deaths.
“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased. Our recoveries currently stand at 887,701. This represents a recovery rate of 82.6%.”
#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 50 110 tests were conducted in the last 24hrs, with 16 726 new cases. We report 418 more #COVID19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths to 28 887. Click here to view more: https://t.co/MOVs1aDmrf pic.twitter.com/AsTa15wTlV
— NICD (@nicd_sa) January 1, 2021
Earlier on Friday, Life Healthcare group – which runs private hospitals across the country – said the second Covid-19 wave had resulted in a higher number of patients being admitted to its hospitals daily than in the first wave.
According to Dr Charl van Loggerenberg, general manager for emergency medicine at the group: “The number of patients in hospital on any one day has exceeded the peak number we experienced during the first wave.”
On Thursday, New Year’s Eve, Mkhize revealed that for the first time, South Africa had breached the 18,000 mark for new daily Covid-19 cases.
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