Majority of latest Covid-19 cases from Western Cape

The majority of new Covid-19 cases, for the second day in a row, have been recorded in the Western Cape.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said in an update on Friday evening that 13,025 new Covid-19 cases had been identified in SA.

The Western Cape accounted for 27% of those, followed by Gauteng (24%), KwaZulu-Natal (15%), Mpumalanga (7%), the Eastern Cape and North West with 6% each, Limpopo (5%), and the Free State and Northern Cape each accounting for 4%.

TimesLIVE reported on Thursday that hospitals in the Western Cape could reach breaking point this weekend as Covid-19 infections climbed, relaxed alcohol regulations took their toll and the usual month-end trauma load hit.

Head of health Dr Keith Cloete warned that critical care capacity “is already stretched beyond capability” and that the weekend could stretch it even further.

The total number of laboratory confirmed cases is SA is now 2,435,036 representing a 23.4% positivity rate.

A further 248 Covid-19 related deaths were reported on Friday, bringing total fatalities to date to 71,679.

“There has been an increase of 646 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours, an increase from yesterday’s new hospital admissions,” the NICD said in a statement.

TimesLIVE