Daily Covid-19 update: Recovery rate now up to 72%

The total number of confirmed cases is now at 538,184 Covid-19 in South Africa with 8,307 new cases identified as of Thursday, 06 August.

In a statement, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that the official death toll now stands at 9,604.

A total of 306 new Covid-19 deaths were reported, 75 from Gauteng, 78 from KwaZulu Natal, 66 from the Eastern Cape, 46 from the Western Cape, 23  from the Free State, and 18 from Northern Cape.

The recovery rate stands at 387,316 recoveries which translates to 72%.

Source: @DrZweliMkhize / Twitter

Mkhize said on Thursday that the country was not yet at a point where it was ready to lift the bans on the sale of tobacco products and alcohol.

The minister comments came during his two-day visit to KwaZulu-Natal to inspect the province’s state of readiness.

He had asked a doctor about the impact of the ban on the sale of alcohol who responded to him by saying it had been positive because there had been a reduction in the number of alcohol-induced trauma cases being admitted, which made it easier to work.

“I find this everywhere we go,” Mkhize said.

“Our position is very simple, when we see that the numbers are improving and that the need for, pressure for beds is not so threatening to the lives of our people then, of course, we will reconsider this, we haven’t come to that point yet,” he added.

The minister said publicly answering on the question on the ban on tobacco products posed a difficulty as the matter is “sub judice”.

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