Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize visits the Vaccine Center in the Assembly hall at Charlotte Maxeke hospital in Johanneburg, 8 April 2021. Picture: Neil McCartney
As of Sunday 16 May 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases stands at 1 613 728 with 2 535 new cases recorded in a day, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.
27 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 0 from Eastern Cape, 2 from Free State, 10 from Gauteng, 5 from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), 0 from Limpopo, 6 from Mpumalanga, 0 from North West, 1 from Northern Cape and 3 from Western Cape.
This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 55 210.
Recoveries now stand at 1 524 352.
A total of 11 115 048 tests have been completed with 27 543 new tests conducted since the last report.
Sunday marked the last day of the Sisonke vaccine trial as the country gears up for phase two which marks the official vaccination kick-off for the population of 60 years and above along with those living with comorbidities.
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“Tomorrow (Monday) phase two will start as planned with Pfizer vaccines at 87 sites across the country- 83 in the public sector and 4 in the private sector,” said Mkhize.
Out of 500 000 vaccines that were received for the purposes of the Sisonke trail only 478 733.
Mkhize said that the remainder of the vaccines will be used by the Medical research Council to conduct studies, and programmes that will help in understanding of how the vaccines work for population groups such as persons living with HIV and other co-morbidities, elite athletes, pregnant and lactating women, and other special groups.
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