Daily Covid-19 update: 998 new cases confirmed as recoveries hit 94%

As of Tuesday, 23 February 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 1,505,586 with 998 new cases identified, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

263 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 51 from Eastern Cape, 27 from Free State, 39 from Gauteng, 60 from Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN), 55 from Limpopo, 3 from Northern Cape and 28 from Western Cape.

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This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 49,413.

Recoveries now stand at 1,419,459 representing a recovery rate of 94%. 

A total of 8,932,950 tests have been completed with 25,093 new tests conducted since the last report.

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccines that have been administered stands at 32,315.

As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 1 505 586 the total number of deaths is 49 413, the total number of recoveries is 1 419 459 and the total number of vaccines administered is 32 315. pic.twitter.com/KqY3zJDnMw

— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) February 23, 2021

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These are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

‘Heartbreaking’

An emotional US President Joe Biden calls the milestone of more than 500,000 US deaths from the virus “heartbreaking” and urges the country to unite against the pandemic.

Czech crisis

The Czech Republic is reaching capacity in intensive care wards as infections keep soaring in the EU’s worst-hit country, its health ministry says.

The country tops the world’s per capita infection table over the last 14 days and is second after neighbouring Slovakia for deaths, according to an AFP tally.

Sterling soars

The British pound continues a frantic two-month rise against the euro and the dollar, reaching new highs this week in a sign of traders’ enthusiasm for the country’s vaccination roll-out.

Jabs for war-weary Afghans

Afghanistan launches a vaccination campaign aimed at administering doses to hundreds of thousands of people, as the war-weary nation reels from near-daily attacks by insurgents.

Food risk for North Korea

Strict virus restrictions imposed by North Korea could force the World Food Programme to suspend operations in the country, where chronic malnutrition is rife, a report on the UN organisation’s website says.

Flying high

EasyJet shares rally on rocketing flight bookings — soaring 337 percent compared with a week earlier — as the British airline is given a boost by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s pledge to begin easing England’s virus lockdown shortly.

Movies, at last

Cinemas in New York City will partially reopen next month after almost exactly a year shut, Governor Andrew Cuomo announces, in the latest easing of restrictions in the Big Apple.

India adds to Covax

India’s Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, despatches its first batch of shots for the Covax programme to help poorer countries.

2.4 million deaths

The virus has caused at least 2,474,437 deaths around the world since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources.

The US is the worst-affected country with 500,313 deaths, followed by Brazil with 247,143, Mexico with 180,536, India with 156,463 and Britain with 120,757.

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