Covid-19 update: SA records 1,678 new cases and 101 deaths

As of Thursday, South Africa has recorded a total of 2.900,994 positive cases of Covid-19, with 1,678 new cases identified since the last report, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced.

This increase represents a 4.1% positivity rate.

The majority of new cases today are from Western Cape (22%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (20%), Gauteng Province accounted for 14%; Eastern Cape & Free State accounted for 12% each; Northern Cape accounted for 10%; North West & Mpumalanga accounted for 5% each; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of today’s new cases.
 
The country has also recorded 101 Covid-19 related deaths, bringing total fatalities to 87,626 to date.

17,649,727 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

There has been an increase of 128 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:

– Russia deaths spiral –

Russia reports its highest death toll for a third day in a row — 867 — as the highly infectious Delta variant and slow vaccination rates take their toll.

– J&J jab stopped after death –

Slovenia suspends its use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a 20-year-old woman dies of a brain haemorrhage and blood clots just days after getting the jab.

Her death sparked protests and comes after authorities said civil servants must be vaccinated by the end of the month.

– French teens must show pass –

Children over 12 must show a “health pass” to enter public places in France such as restaurants, sport clubs or cinemas. A similar measure has been in place for adults there for two months.

Britain’s jobs shock –

Joblessness is set to rocket in Britain when the government ends its furlough scheme Thursday which has kept millions of private-sector workers in jobs during the pandemic with the government paying the bulk of their wages.

– Virus chills Winter Olympics –

The Beijing Winter Olympics in February will be held without spectators from overseas and athletes will have to be fully vaccinated or submit to 21 days in quarantine, the International Olympic Committee says.

– S.Africa virus fraud scandal –

Investigators call for former South African health minister Zweli Mkhize to be punished and a senior official to face charges over a $10 million Covid fund scandal.

They accuse them of handling public health contracts through a front company run by the minister’s former spokeswoman and personal assistant.

– Crisis talks over UK quarantine –

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is due to have talks with British premier Boris Johnson amid fury over the UK’s decision to maintain tough travel restrictions on travellers arriving from South Africa.

They must go through a pricey 10-day hotel quarantine on arrival, dealing a crippling blow to South Africa’s tourism industry, which is heavily dependent on visitors from the former colonial power.

– Havana beaches reopen –

Beaches and pools in the Cuban capital Havana, as well as the famed Malecon seafront promenade, open after being shut for nine months because of the virus.

– More than 4.7 million dead –

The coronavirus has killed at least 4,771,320 people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP compilation of official data. 

The US is the worst-affected country with 695,116 deaths, followed by Brazil with 596,122, India with 448,062, Mexico 276,973 and Russia 207,225.

Based on latest reports, the countries with the most new deaths were the US with 2,543 new deaths, followed by Russia with 867 and Brazil with 676.

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde. Additional reporting by AFP