Covid-19 update: 1,671 new cases reported in SA

South Africa has identified 1,671 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 3.691,962.

This increase represents a 7.5% positivity rate, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, announced.

The majority of new cases today are from Gauteng (31%), followed by Western Cape (26%). KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 17%; Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga each accounted for 5% respectively; Eastern Cape and North West each accounted for 4% respectively; and Northern Cape accounted for 2% of today’s new cases. 

“Due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH), there may be a backlog of Covid-19 mortality cases reported. Today, the NDoH reports 28 deaths and of these, 6 occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 99,709 to date,” said the NICD.

23.365,475 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

There has been an increase of 44 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. 

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines still favourable and safe to be administered – Sahpra

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) says Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines are still favourable and safe to be administered as per rollout schedule, according to the latest reported safety data reviewed by the institution.

This comes after the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) earlier this week published Pfizer data from its clinical trials in support of a Covid-19 vaccine licence.

The report details several side effects from the vaccine, causing an uproar on social media as some reiterated claims that the vaccines are not safe.

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Pfizer is authorised for use in South Africa in adults and children aged 12 years and older, and according to the institution, all Covid-19 vaccines authorised for use in South Africa have been evaluated for quality, safety and efficacy, and have proven to prevent serious disease and death from Covid-19.