Daily Covid-19 update: Phase two jabs off to shaky start as 50 more deaths recorded

As of Monday 17 May 2021, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases stands at 1,615,485 million with 1757 new cases recorded in a day, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has confirmed.

50 more Covid-19 related deaths were reported, with 4 from Eastern Cape, 30 from Free State, 6 from Gauteng, 0 from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), 0 from Limpopo, 0 from Mpumalanga, 0 from North West, 8 from Northern Cape and 2 from Western Cape.

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This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 55,260.

Recoveries now stand at 1,526,638. 

A total of 11,134,553 tests have been completed with 19,505  new tests conducted since the last report.

Meanwhile, the total number of vaccines that have been administered stands at 455,169.

#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 19 505 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 1 757 new cases, which represents a 9% positivity rate. A further 50 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 55 260 to date. Read more here https://t.co/op4ACGE3bT pic.twitter.com/acShh6GaxO

— NICD (@nicd_sa) May 17, 2021

The country’s second phase of vaccinations started on Monday and Mkhize said the rollout was executed “reasonably well”, citing load shedding and the protests in Mangaung as obstacles.

“Although most of the sites were able to proceed, a larger number of vaccinations were captured on paper and numbers are still being reconciled,” Mkhize said.