'We'll soon hit a million': SA records 5,100 Covid-19 cases in 24 hours at 20% positivity rate

SA recorded 5,163 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, but it is the positivity rate of more than 20% that will be most alarming.

The new cases came from just 25,049 tests, meaning that around one in every five tests done in the past 24-hour cycle came back with a positive result. Previously, alarm bells sounded when the positivity rate was at 12%.

The total number of confirmed Covid-19 infections countrywide, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday, was 866,127.

“We're getting very close to 900,000 and we'll soon hit a million. These figures are cause for great concern. There can no longer be any doubt that SA has entered a second wave of coronavirus infections,” said Ramaphosa as he addressed the nation.

Shortly after the address, the health ministry confirmed that there were 175 Covid-19 related death recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the national death toll to 23,451.

TimesLIVE