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.

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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.

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.