Covid-19 update: 62 new deaths bring SA’s total to 99,829

South Africa has recorded 62 new Covid-19 related deaths and of these, three occurred in the past 24-48 hours.

This brings the total fatalities to 99,829 to date, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, has announced.

Covid-19 has killed at least 6.050,440 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally based on official sources..

The US has recorded the most Covid deaths with 966,470, followed by Brazil on 655,585 and India with 516,072.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid, the WHO estimates the true death toll could be two to three times higher.

Covid-19 cases once again rising globally

South Africa has identified 1,682 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3.700,484. This increase represents a 5.8% positivity rate.

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The majority of new cases today are from Gauteng (34%), followed by Western Cape (29%). Kwa-Zulu Natal accounted for 19% and Mpumalanga accounted for 5%. Eastern Cape, Free State and North West each accounted for 3% respectively; and Limpopo & Northern Cape each accounted for 2% respectively of today’s new cases

23.514,233 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors

There has been an increase of 41 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. 

The World Health Organization has voiced an alarm that registered Covid-19 cases are once again rising globally, despite testing levels having dropped significantly.

After falling for weeks, reported Covid cases rose globally by eight percent last week, it says.

South Korea reported a record of more than 600,000 Covid-19 cases Thursday, with authorities saying the country was near the peak of an Omicron-fuelled infection wave.

According to WHO data, South Korea leads the world in newly reported cases in the last seven days with 2,417,174 infections, followed by Vietnam with 1,776,045.

The 621,328 case tally recorded Thursday is South Korea’s highest daily figure since the pandemic began.

Additional reporting by AFP