SA records 1,218 new Covid-19 cases as nearly 550,000 recoveries confirmed

More than 3.7 million tests done

01 September 2020 - 21:50
By TimesLIVE
There were 1,218 new Covid-19 cases confirmed on Tuesday, taking the national total to 628,259.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu There were 1,218 new Covid-19 cases confirmed on Tuesday, taking the national total to 628,259.

South Africa has recorded 1,218 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the national total to 628,259 infections.

The latest figures, released by health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Tuesday night, mean that there have been 15,530 confirmed cases in the past seven days. This is just 1,586 cases more than the country's biggest single-day increase in cases - 13,944 on July 24. 

Mkhize also announced 114 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours. Of these, 13 were from KwaZulu-Natal, 39 from Gauteng, seven each from the Eastern Cape and the Free State, 20 from the Western Cape, 18 from the North West and 10 from Mpumalanga.

"This brings the total number of Covid-19 related deaths to 14,263. We extend our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers that treated the deceased patients," he said.

There have been 549,993 recoveries reported to date - a recovery rate of 87%.

SA also passed another testing milestone, with more than 3.7 million tests done. In total, 3,705,408 tests have been done, of which 11,687 were done in the past 24-hour cycle.

TimesLIVE