Daily Covid-19 update: SA records 2,237 new cases

As of Saturday, South Africa has recorded a total of 749,182, with 2, 237 new cases identified since the last report, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced.

53 more deaths have been reported: 34 in the Eastern Cape, six from the Free State, five from KwaZulu-Natal and eight in the Western Cape.

The total number of deaths now stands at 20,206. Of the 53 deaths, 19 occurred in the last 48 hours.

“We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients,” said Mkhize.

Image: Health Department

Here are the latest global developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– Deaths top 1.3 million –

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 1,305,039 people since emerging in China late last year, according to a tally compiled by AFP from official sources on Saturday.

Some 9,995 new deaths and 660,538 new cases were recorded worldwide Friday. The countries with the most new deaths were the United States with 1,596, followed by France with 932 and Mexico with 568.

The US is also the worst-affected country with 244,364 deaths followed by Brazil with 164,737, India with 129,188, Mexico with 97,624 and the United Kingdom with 51,304.

– New York shuts schools –

The US city worst hit by the first wave of the pandemic is closing schools from Monday after the infection rate spiked.

Bars and restaurants in “the city that never sleeps” have also been forced to close at 10 pm. More than 23,000 New Yorkers died in the first wave.

– Greece follows suit –

With hospitals saturated with Covid-19 cases, Greece is also shutting its schools and kindergartens until the end of the month.

– Lebanon locks down –

Beirut’s usually traffic-snarled streets were almost empty Saturday as the country went into a two-week lockdown with a nighttime curfew beginning at 5 pm.

– Salah tests positive –

Egypt and Liverpool football star Mohamed Salah will miss his country’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo on Saturday as well as at least two Premier League matches after testing positive.

The two-time African Footballer of the Year had attended his brother’s wedding in Egypt.

– Czech crematoriums struggle –

Faced with the highest death rate in Europe from the virus, Czech crematoriums are struggling to keep up.

Since the end of October some 200 people a day have been dying in the Central European nation of 10.7 million people, which was only lightly touched by the first wave.

– Virus avoids Turkmenistan –

Turkmenistan’s strongman leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov insists his country has never had a coronavirus case as he opens a new hospital for infectious diseases.

Authorities urged people to wear masks in July due to “pathogens” and “high concentrations of dust” in the air.

Beyond Pacific island nations, only Turkmenistan and North Korea have yet to report a case of the virus.

– Ukraine’s quiet weekends –

Restaurants, shopping centres, sports centres and non-essential stores close for the next three weekends across the eastern European country.

Italy and Portugal also step up restrictions with the Naples and Tuscany regions partially locked down.

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