KZN records highest number of new Covid-19 cases overnight

KwaZulu-Natal’s Covid-19 numbers took over new cases from Gauteng on Sunday recording a higher share of new infections for the day, the provincial department of health said on Monday.

“Yesterday, 2 August 2020, KwaZulu-Natal Province recorded 2,693 new cases. The province had the highest number of new cases countrywide (33%) followed by Gauteng Province (29%),” said the KZN health department in a statement.

The highly-populated east coast province now also ranks as the third-highest in total cases in the country, jumping ahead of the Eastern Cape.

“Although the province upgraded to the third position countrywide… the number of new cases received daily continued to be below 3,000 as compared to the past week,” the department said.

KZN also recorded 11 new Covid-19 related deaths, but this was due to late reporting, the department said.

“These deaths did not happen in the past 24 hours. Due to late reporting and high number of patients dying as persons under investigation (PUIs), there is a delay in reporting deaths.”

KZN thus far contributes to 11% or 886 deaths countrywide.

“The province continues to be the fourth highest in terms of deaths,” the department said.

The usual weekly update of numbers by Premier Sihle Zikalala was cancelled this week due to an ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

“Media colleagues please note that there won’t be a media briefing tomorrow as usual because of an NEC meeting to deal with Covid-19 related matters. Members of the media will be notified in due course about our next media briefing,” said office of the premier spokesperson Bongani Mthethwa over the weekend.

The meeting was held after weeks of reports of rampant looting of state funds meant to assist with Covid-19 relief for ordinary citizens.

Thus far, corruption allegations have gone as far up as the husband of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko.

Diko has since taken a leave of absence from all her roles in government, pending investigations into allegations involving her husband and tender regulations in the Gauteng department of health.

Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku was placed on leave pending an investigation into tender corruption at the department. His wife, City of Johannesburg Shared Services MMC Loyiso Masuku, was also asked by the ANC to step aside.

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