Covid-19 update: 1,346 new cases bring SA’s total to 663,282

As of Tuesday, the cumulative number of detected Covid-19 cases is 663,282, with 1,346 new cases identified, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has announced.

The country has also reported 126 more Covid-19 deaths: 5 from Eastern Cape, 54 from KwaZulu-Natal, 45 from Gauteng, 5 from North West and 17 from Western Cape. This brings the total number of Covid-19 deaths to 16,118.

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

The Compensation Fund has expressed shock with the rate of non-compliance with Covid-19 prevention protocols at workplaces, including state entities, with a marked increase in the number of Covid-19 related claims.

According to figures from the department of employment and labour’s inspection and enforcement services (IES), only 3,787 of a total of 6,840 workplaces inspected since the country went into lockdown were found to be compliant.

Aggy Moiloa, the inspector general, said in a statement: “The level of compliance is at a shocking rate of 58% in both the private and government sectors. What this means, in reality, is that out of every 100 workplaces inspected, 46 are non-compliant. Taking into account that we have an added complication of Covid-19 to take into consideration, this means that employers are not showing the necessary resolve to deal with workplace health and safety issues.” 

Moiloa said IES had issued a total of 621 prohibition notices, meaning that until the area of non-compliance had been rectified, that business or workplace was barred from operating.

The department said the private sector, the wholesale and retail sector were the most non-compliant and slapped with 252 prohibition notices followed by the manufacturing sector with 54 and the hospitality industry with 35.

Read more: Workplaces failing Covid-19 test

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(Additional reporting, Sipho Mabena)