Category: COVID-19 Corona Virus

South Africa on Tuesday recorded 1 087 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 987 979.

This increase represents a 7.8% positivity rate, said the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

In addition, the National Department of Health reported 20 deaths and of these, three deaths occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours.

“The cumulative COVID-19 deaths are 101 640 to date. A total of 25,618,427 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors as per the table below,” said the NICD.

The cumulative number of recoveries now stands at 3 872 768, with a recovery rate of 97.1%.

A breakdown of the new cases indicates that the majority were from Gauteng (37%), followed by Western Cape (21%). Kwa-Zulu Natal accounted for 16%; Eastern Cape accounted for 9%; Free State accounted for 5%; Mpumalanga and North West each accounted for 4% respectively; Northern Cape accounted for 2%; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of the new cases.

Over the 24 hours, there was an increase of 39 hospital admissions.

South Africa has reported 291 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 986 892.

This increase represents a 4.1% positivity rate.

On Monday, the Department of Health reported 16 deaths and of these three deaths occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours.

The cumulative COVID-19 deaths are 101 620 to date.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (40%), followed by the Western Cape (15%).

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 13%; North West accounted for 11%; Free State accounted for 8%; Eastern Cape accounted for 5%; Mpumalanga accounted for 4%; Northern Cape accounted for 2%; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of new cases

“The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today is 4.1%, and is lower than yesterday (7.1%). The 7-day average is 7.9% today, and is lower than yesterday (8.1%),” the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said.

There has been an increase of 31 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

South Africa has to date conducted 25 604 409 tests in both public and private sectors.

South Africa has recorded 962 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 978 590.

According to the Department of Health, the cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 3 854 873 with a recovery rate of 96.9%.

The department has also reported seven deaths, bringing the total fatalities to 101 484.

Meanwhile, South Africa has administered a total of 1 303 COVID-19 vaccines in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of vaccines to 36 448 670 to date.

The province with the highest number of vaccines administered is North West province with 467, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 397 and Gauteng at 253.

As at 5pm on Sunday, 50.30% of the adult population has been fully vaccinated.

The Department of Health has updated the COVID-19 vaccination schedule for people aged 50 years and older, and as a result all people falling under this age category are eligible to receive an additional booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine from this week.

This additional booster is available to all people of this age group who have completed at least 120 days or four months since they received their last COVID-19 vaccination of either Pfizer or J&J.

The department said the Pfizer vaccine has shown to be safe and effective for boosting immunity in older persons who remain at highest risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.

“Out of a total adult population of almost 20 million people who have vaccinated so far, more than 7 million of them are aged 50 years and older,” said the department.

Meanwhile, South Africa has recorded 2 062 new COVID-19 cases which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 970 993.

The increase represents an 8.8% positivity rate.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (34%) followed by Western Cape (20%). KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 13%, Eastern Cape accounted for 11% and Free State accounted for 6%. Mpumalanga and Free State accounted for 7% each respectively. North West accounted for 6%, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape accounted for 3% each respectively and Limpopo accounted for 1%.

The department has recorded 47 deaths, and of these, 10 occurred in the past 24-48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 101 397 to date.

There has been an increase of 56 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

With regards to tests conducted, 25 400 217 tests were conducted in both public and private sectors.

In the public sector, 11 556 038 tests were conducted while 13 844 179 tests were conducted in the private sector.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed 726 new COVID-19 cases in South Africa at a positivity rate of some 7.2% over the past 24-hour reporting period.

This brings the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases to 3 968 931 in the country with deaths also on the rise.

“Due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH), there may be a backlog of COVID-19 mortality cases reported. Today, the NDoH reports 33 deaths, and of these, five occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 101,350 to date,” the NICD said.

The institute highlighted that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape continue to lead with the number of new infections.

The provincial breakdown of new cases is as follows:

Gauteng: 274

Western Cape: 166

KwaZulu-Natal: 95

Free State: 51

Mpumalanga: 50

North West: 41

Eastern Cape: 21

Northern Cape: 19

Limpopo: 9

The NICD also reported at least 53 more hospitalisations due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, at least 33 068 COVID-19 vaccines were administered over the past 24-hour reporting period.

The total number of jabs in arms now stands at some 36 277 964.

South Africa on Tuesday recorded 2 809 new COVID-19 cases, says the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

Representing a 12.6% positivity rate, the figure brought the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 957 777. In the reporting period, National Department of Health has confirmed 5 new COVID-19 related deaths.

“The cumulative COVID-19 deaths are 100 190 to date,” the NICD said in a statement.

The Institute said 25 264 922 tests had been conducted in both public and private sectors.

A provincial breakdown of the statistics reveals that the majority of new cases on Tuesday were from Gauteng (29%), followed by Western Cape (25%).

“KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 18%; Eastern Cape accounted for 11%; Free State accounted for 5%; Mpumalanga and North West each accounted for 4% respectively; Northern Cape accounted for 3%; and Limpopo accounted for 2% of today’s new cases,” said the Institute.

However, it is lower than Wednesday’s 22.6%. The 7-day average is 23.3%, higher than the previous day’s 23.1%.

“The 7-day average is (24.7%) today, and is lower than yesterday (25.1%),” read the statement.

On hospital admissions, the Institute said there had been an increase of 150 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

The 12.6% proportion of positive new cases/total new tested was higher than Monday’s (9.4%). “The 7-day average is 12.7% today, and is lower than yesterday (13.1%),” said the NICD.

The Institute recorded an increase of 103 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

South Africa has recorded 3 801 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 944 845.

According to data provided by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), this increase represents a 14.9% positivity rate.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng Province accounting for 34%, followed by the Western Cape at 24%.

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 15%; EC accounted for 10%; Free State accounted for 6%; Northern Cape accounted for 4%; Mpumalanga and North West each accounted for 3% respectively; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of today’s cases.

“The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today is 14.9% and is lower than yesterday at 17.3%. The 7-day average is 16.9% today, and is lower than yesterday at 18.3%. The 7-day moving average daily number of cases has decreased,” the NICD said.

The National Department of Health (NDoH) has reported 49 deaths, and of these, 16 occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 101 092 to date.

In terms of hospital admissions, the NDoH said that there has been an increase of 112 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

The cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 3 793 500 with a recovery rate of 96,2%.

A total of 25 164 138 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

As at 19:00 on Thursday a total number of 35 959 268 vaccines have been administered.

South Africa has recorded 5 284 new COVID-19 cases which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 941 045.

This increase represents an 17.3% positivity rate.

The National Department of Health has recorded 41 deaths, and of these, six occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours and this brings the total fatalities to 101 043 to date.

According to the department, there has been an increase of 113 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

To date, 25 138 638 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (32%) followed by Western Cape (28%).

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 13%, Eastern Cape accounted for 9%, Free State accounted for 6%, North West accounted for 4%, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape each accounted for 3% and Limpopo accounted for 2%.

The cumulative number of cases by province are as follows:

Gauteng 1672, Western Cape 1498, Northern Cape 179, North West 215, Free State 298, KwaZulu-Natal 661, Mpumalanga 167, Limpopo  94 and Eastern Cape 500.

South Africa has reported 4 227 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 935 761.

This increase represents a 15.7% positivity rate.

In a statement on Tuesday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there might be a backlog of COVID-19 mortality cases reported due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH).

“Today, the NDoH reports 50 deaths, and of these, 14 occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 101 002 to date,” the NICD said.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (31%) followed by Western Cape (22%).

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 16%; Eastern Cape accounted for 11%; Free State accounted for 6%; Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and North West each accounted for 4% respectively; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of the cases.

“The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today is (15.7%), and is higher than yesterday (13.7%). The seven-day average is (19.1%) today, and is lower than yesterday (19.8%). The seven- day moving average daily number of cases has decreased,” the NICD said.

There has been an increase of 139 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

South Africa has to date conducted 25 108 084 COVID-19 tests in both public and private sectors.

Despite efforts to implement recovery plans, researchers have found that there has been a loss of one year of learning in as far as reading is concerned, Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, said on Wednesday.

Motshega was addressing a mini-plenary of the National Assembly to give an update on the department’s progress as well as outline budget vote priorities for the year ahead.

Motshekga said she had requested the department’s researchers to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the basic education system.

“The researchers agree that at the heart of our Sector, is learning, and at the heart of improving learning, is improving reading in the early grades.

“They report that prior to COVID-19, we had seen progress in the reading abilities of children.

“According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), reading in Grade 4, improved substantially between 2006 and 2016.

However, and according to Professor Martin Gustafssohn, the research suggested that, by the end of 2021, the average Grade 4 learner could read as well as the average Grade 3 learner before the pandemic.

“Therefore, there has been a loss of one year of learning.

“Put differently, we slid backwards in terms of our PIRLS progress by a few years.

“These losses are similar to what has been witnessed around the world,” she said.

Motshekga said given these losses, and despite the department’s best efforts in terms of its school recovery plan, it is not expected that the PIRLS 2021 results will display any improvements, when released at the end of this year.

“If we do see improvements, we would welcome such, but we have to be realistic.

“Therefore, international assessment studies, such as PIRLS, but also the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), have played a critical role in monitoring progress in the past, and will in the years to come, help us to understand how effectively we are recovering from the negative effects of the pandemic.”

No massive learner drop out post lockdown

Motshekga said, meanwhile, that a key question for the sector was whether the pandemic has had any impact on learners dropping out of school?

She said the department monitored the situation and engaged researchers. After initial conflicting reports, there is now an agreement that initial evidence that showed that some half-a-million children did not return to school when they should have was not correct.

“This received media coverage in the middle of last year.

“The evidence we now have, and researchers are in agreement on this, is that there was no massive worsening of the dropout patterns, compared to what we saw before the pandemic.

“There have been some problems, such as Grades R to 1 enrolment, being around 25 000 lower than expected in 2021, due to parents delaying first enrolment of their children. But, compared to the initial half-a-million estimate, this is a relatively small and a manageable problem.”