Gauteng’s Covid-19 cases reach 2,521, with 73 people in hospital

Gauteng now has 2 521 reported cases of Covid-19, with two more deaths recorded since Thursday.

By Saturday morning, 29 people in the province had died from the disease, the Gauteng Department of Health said in a statement. The Western Cape, with half the population size of Gauteng, has had 257 deaths.

While the number of new cases in Gauteng has increased by almost 3% (from 2 453) since Thursday, the number of recoveries rose even faster, by almost 4% to 1 840.

Accordingly, there are now 681 active Covid-19 cases in the province, four more than on Thursday. A total number of 73 people are currently in private and public hospitals in the province – three more than on Thursday.

The City of Johannesburg still accounts for more than half of Gauteng’s cases, with 305 in the area that includes Alexandra, Wynberg, Sandton, Orange Grove and Houghton alone. But this is an increase of only one reported case since Thursday and, with 269 recoveries, there are 35 active cases in the area.

The number of cases in the area that includes Diepsloot, Kya Sands, Dainfern, Midrand, Lanseria, Fourways and Ivory Park has remained unchanged at 180, with 175 recoveries. Ten more cases have been reported in the area covering Randburg, Rosebank, Emmarentia, Greenside, Melville, Mayfair, Northcliff, and Parktown, bringing the total to 197.

The department says that, out of a total of 11 387 contacts – individuals who were in contact with people who tested positive for Covid-19 – 8 895 people have completed the 14-day monitoring period with no symptoms reported.

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