Daily Covid-19 update: 1548 cases recorded as death toll approaches 55k

As of Tuesday 11 May 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,599,272, with 1548 new cases recorded, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

71 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 3 from Eastern Cape, 23 from Free State, 16 from Gauteng, 5 from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), 0 from Limpopo, 0 from Mpumalanga, 0 from North West, 16 from Northern Cape and 8 from Western Cape.

ALSO READ: Vaccine tourism: Here’s three countries you can get a Covid-19 jab

This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 54,896.

Recoveries now stand at 1,519,258 representing a recovery rate of 95%.

A total of 10,931,906 tests have been completed with 26,075 new tests conducted since the last report.

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccines that have been administered stands at 414,372.

#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 26 075 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 1 548 new cases, which represents a 5.9% positivity rate. A further 71 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 54 896 to date. Read more here https://t.co/aJ8bcrT2Wm pic.twitter.com/kwzDo0JOUq

— NICD (@nicd_sa) May 11, 2021

SIU probing nearly half of government’s entire PPE spend

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is probing alleged corrupt personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts worth R14.2 billion – close to half of the money spent by government on PPE procurement since Covid-19 landed on SA shores.

Last year, after a spate of PPE related corruption, President Cyril Ramaphosa tasked the SIU to investigate Covid-19 related corruption.