Category: COVID-19 Corona Virus

South Africa detected 7 657 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, representing a 17.2% positivity rate.

According to the latest data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the majority of the new infections were logged in Gauteng after 4 891 people were confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape recorded the second highest number of cases at 663, followed by the North West with 521.

This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 1 747 082 since the outbreak.

In the last 24 hours, there was also an increase of 632 hospital admissions and 78 in-hospital fatalities, bringing the death toll to 57 731.

The information is based on the 12 193 414 tests performed, 44 560 of which were conducted since the last reporting cycle.

So far, 1 773 417 people have received the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines.

Globally, as of 13 June 2021, there have been 175 306 598 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3 792 777 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In addition, 2 156 550 767 vaccine doses have been administered as of 10 June 2021.

South Africa on Thursday logged 9 149 new COVID-19 cases, which represents a 15.7% positivity testing rate.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), figures from the past seven days show that South Africa is now experiencing the third wave.

“South Africa technically entered the third wave today as the national seven-day moving average incidence of 5 959 cases, which now exceeds the new wave threshold, as defined by the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC),” the NICD said on Thursday.

The MAC, which provides recommendations on managing the COVID-19 pandemic, defines the new wave seven-day moving average threshold as 30% of the peak incidence of the previous wave.

The majority of the new infections are from Gauteng, with 5 597 cases (61%), followed by the Western Cape with 932 (10%).

This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 1 722 086 since the outbreak.

The NICD also observed an increase of 844 admissions, pushing the total to 7 300 patients in health institutions across the country.

An additional 127 in-hospital deaths were reported in the past 24 hours.

The data is based on the 12 044 072 tests conducted, 58 322 of which were done since the last reporting cycle.

To date, 1 619 011 people have been vaccinated in South Africa.

According to the World Health Organisation, as of 10 June 2021, there have been 174 061 995 confirmed global cases, 3 758 560 deaths and 2 156 384 616 administered vaccine doses.

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has welcomed input from top global health experts, who have dismissed purported links between the COVID-19 vaccine and magnetic fields.

This follows a series of viral video footage on social media, where some individuals are seen placing metal coins on the arms of people who have recently been vaccinated against the virus.

“This is in an apparent attempt to prove the purported presence of a “magnet” in the newly-injected arm.

“Several international medical scientists have rejected these claims as scientifically improbable and false.

“According to a report shared by World Health Organisation (WHO) affiliated group, Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA), COVID-19 vaccines do not contain magnetic microchips.

“The report further declares that these social media posts are an absolute hoax, which should be viewed with the contempt it deserves,” KZN Health MEC, Nomagugu Simelane, said.

In an article by Natalie Wade quoted in the same report, medical experts weigh in, saying these videos are nothing more than a conspiracy theory typical of disinformation about the novel Coronavirus, Simelane said.

The MEC welcomed the feedback from experts, saying it is very unfortunate that at a time when the world is in a war against the deadly epidemic, there are people invested in a misinformation campaign, which “results in vaccine hesitancy”.

“This is certainly not what we need, and we call upon South Africans to consume and take seriously only news and reports that are from trusted sources such as WHO, as well as reputable and credible news sources,” Simelane said.

Cabinet has welcomed the validation of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

This, Cabinet said, will enable the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) to expeditiously consider the application of Sinovac for emergency use in South Africa.

Last week, WHO validated the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving countries, funders, procuring agencies and communities the assurance that it meets international standards for safety, efficacy and manufacturing.

The vaccine is produced by the Beijing-based pharmaceutical company, Sinovac.

Briefing media on Thursday following Cabinet’s meeting this week, Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said Cabinet welcomed progress made in the COVID-19 vaccination roll out.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases on Wednesday said 1 524 589 people have been vaccinated in South Africa, with 1 043 278 having received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

“In addition, over three million South Africans have registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS), which is a cause for celebration in our concerted fight against the spread of the virus,” Ntshavheni said.

She appealed to more South Africans to register, and to help the elderly to register for vaccination.

With winter setting in and the third wave having gripped four of SA’s provinces, Ntshavheni stressed the need to vaccinate .

“The partnership with the private sector in vaccination, and the overall COVID-19 programme, strengthens our nation’s efforts to ensure that lifesaving vaccines and the message of safety measures against COVID-19 reaches more people,” Ntshavheni said.

Cabinet has also reminded people to remain vigilant and adhere to restrictions under Level 2 of the national lockdown.

South Africa detected 8 881 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the highest daily spike since 23 January, when the country recorded 12 271 infections.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the majority of new infections are from Gauteng, which accounts for 58%, followed by the Western Cape with 9%.

The latest data show that the positivity rate now stands at 16.5%.

“This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 1 712 7550 (since the outbreak),” the institution said.

To date, 11 985 750 tests have been conducted, 53 732 of which were performed in the last 24 hours.

“The increasing number of tests and cases, and the increased positivity rate are all evidence of the predicted third surge in COVID-19 cases, and not artefacts of data loading or increased laboratory turnaround times,” the NICD explained.

Hospital admissions have also risen to 1 150, the highest increase being in Gauteng, with 587 newly admitted patients, pushing the nationwide total to 7 194.

The public health institute also reported that there are 135 additional in-hospital deaths, which brings the tally to 57 347.

In addition, 1 524 589 people have been vaccinated in South Africa, with 1 043 278 having received their first dose of the Pfizer jab.

Globally, as of 9 June 2021, there have been 173 674 509 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 3 744 408 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Meanwhile, 2 092 863 229 vaccines have been administered as of 8 June 2021.

Following her successful registration on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS), Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu will this afternoon receive her COVID-19 vaccine at the Randgate Clinic in Randfontein, Gauteng.

The Minister will be joined by the CEO of SASSA, Totsie Memela-Khambula and several other people who are at the age of 60 and above as part of Phase 2 of the Mass Vaccination rollout programme, currently underway countrywide.

Recent data from the Department of Health shows that five of the nine provinces, namely Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and North West have a positive-test rate of above 10%.

Minister Zulu is a member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Vaccines which was established to promote mass vaccination and reassure members of the public about the safety of vaccines.

With the threat of the third wave on the horizon, Minister Zulu’s vaccination drive seeks to promote the public-health benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and to alleviate vaccine hesitancy.

Minister Zulu reiterated her call for all South Africans to continue to practice compliance with the prescribed non-pharmaceutical interventions: social distancing, wearing of mask at all times and washing of hands as prescribed.

“Getting vaccinated is an important part of the solution against the pandemic. We appeal to all South Africans across the country to strictly comply with all regulations and protocols,” said Minister Zulu.

The Gauteng Health Department says its inoculation programme has received a shot in the arm, with the launch of more vaccination sites.

According to the department, this will enable government to immunise more people who are aged 60 and above, and healthcare workers.

The province said it will add 25 more sites to its current list, taking the total number to 129, of which 89 are in the public sector and 40 in the private sector.

The department said sites are spread across the province, with 10 in Johannesburg, five in Tshwane, four in Ekurhuleni, and three each in the West Rand and Sedibeng.

Meanwhile, the province said it has vaccinated 246 791 people in Gauteng. Of these, 184 191 are senior citizens, while 62 600 are health professionals.

To date, 499 533 people have signed up on the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

“Since the start of the vaccination programme, we have seen a steady increase in the uptake of the vaccine. More and more vaccination sites are live, meaning that more people can get vaccinated closer to where they stay or work,” the department said.

The province is once again calling on people to register on the EVDS.

“The Gauteng government has taken steps to ensure that all vaccination sites make adequate plans for walk-ins. No person will be turned away from the vaccination sites,” the department said.

Healthcare workers are also assisting the elderly in the comfort of their homes and other places to register on the EVDS.

“Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 remains one of the best ways to protect ourselves and our loved ones. By vaccinating and adhering to the non-pharmaceutical interventions, we can reduce the spread of COVID-19 and keep the economy open,” said the department.

Those who require assistance for registration can contact the Gauteng Hotline on 0800 (GAUTENG) 4288364 or 0800 22 88 27.

South Africa has recorded 120 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, which pushes the death toll to 57 183.

Meanwhile, the cumulative cases now stand at 1 699 849 after 4 209 new infections were detected.

This is an increase from the 3 285 cases that were reported on Monday.

According to the Health Department, 1 581 540 patients beat COVID-19, which works out to a recovery rate of 93%.

In addition, the country is home to 61 246 active cases, while the total number of people that have been vaccinated in South Africa is 1 524 589.

Health Department Director-General, Dr Sandile Mkhize, said South Africa has officially vaccinated over one million senior citizens aged 60 years and above under phase two.

Global view

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the global case and death incidences continued to decrease with over three million new weekly cases and over 73 000 new deaths.

According to the WHO, this translates to a 15% and an 8% decrease respectively, compared to the previous week.

Meanwhile, the European and South-East Asia regions recorded marked declines in the number of new cases in the past week, whereas Africa reported an upsurge.

“The region of the Americas, as well as the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Pacific, reported similar numbers compared to the previous week.”

The organisation said the number of additional deaths reported in the past week decreased in the European and South-East Asia regions and increased in the Western Pacific region.

“Death incidences remained stable in the region of the Americas as well as the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions.”

According to the WHO, despite the downward trend in global case and death incidences for a sixth and fifth consecutive week respectively, many countries across all six regions have reported “rises” in the number of cases and deaths.

The highest numbers of new cases were reported from India (914 539 new cases, 33% decrease), Brazil (449 478 new cases, 7% increase), Argentina (212 975 new cases, 3% decrease), Colombia (175 479 new cases, 17% increase), and the United States (99 103 new cases, 35% decrease).

Government remains committed and capable of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, executing a ramped up vaccination programme and running the national programmes under the acting Health Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.

This assurance was given by Health Department Director-General, Dr Sandile Buthelezi, after President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Dr Zweli Mkhize on special leave on Tuesday.

The matter relates to the controversial R150 million COVID-19 and National Health Insurance communications service contract scored by Digital Vibes.

Mkhize’s former personal assistant, Naadhira Mitha and Tahera Mather, who worked with him when he was Treasurer-General at the ANC’s Luthuli House, pocketed money from questionable payments.

“We have noted the President’s decision to place the incumbent Minister of Health on special leave pending the outcome of the Special Investigation Unit’s investigation into the Digital Vibes matter. It goes without saying that these are difficult times we find ourselves in,” Buthelezi said.

However, Buthelezi has reassured South Africans that the department will keep the ball rolling.

Meanwhile, he announced that there are some developments on the vaccination front, which will be communicated in a public webinar this week.

“Our spirits were lifted today when we learnt that we have officially vaccinated over one million senior citizens aged 60 years and above under phase two,” he said on Tuesday.

He has since conveyed his appreciation to the elderly people who have, and continue, to come forward in their numbers to be vaccinated.

“We also thank all those who are responsible for the administration of the rollout for their grit and determination as we continue to ramp up the campaign.”

In addition, he announced that the daily PDF reports have ended and that the department will now publish the statistics on the sacoronavirus website: https://sacoronavirus.co.za.

“There may be iterations of the product as it develops and we will welcome any feedback to ensure the dashboard is user friendly and provides the information the public needs.”

Buthelezi said the latest list of vaccination sites can be found on https://sacoronavirus.co.za/active-vaccination-sites/.

“We will take opportunities to do live demonstrations to assist users to navigate the dashboards. We continue to be of service to you, for the health of our people,” he added.

South Africa’s COVID-19 death toll has now surpassed the 57 000 mark after 89 people lost their lives to the disease on Monday.

South Africa has recorded 57 063 fatalities since the outbreak.

According to Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, of the latest deaths, 25 were recorded in Gauteng, 23 in the Free State, 18 in the Western Cape, 17 in Limpopo, four in the Northern Cape, while the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces recorded one death each.

“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated the deceased patients,” said Mkhize.

The county’s cumulative cases now stand at 1 699 849 after 3 285 new infections were detected.

The additional cases are from the 23 199 COVID-19 tests conducted in the last 24 hours, which represents a 14.2% positivity rate.

“Our recoveries now stand at 1 581 540, representing a recovery rate of 93%,” said the Minister.

According to the latest data, the country is home to 61 246 active cases.

Gauteng is among the hardest hit provinces with 21 700 patients who are currently infected, followed by the Free State with 9 276 active cases, while the Northern Cape has 9 172.

In addition, 6 985 active cases are in the North West, 5 344 in KwaZulu-Natal, 4 801 in the Western Cape, 1 805 in Mpumalanga, 1 092 in Limpopo and 1 071 in the Eastern Cape.

According to the Minister, so far, 1 350 245 people have been vaccinated in South Africa, as the country awaits more vaccine doses to arrive.

Globally, as of 7 June 2021, there have been 173 005 553 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3 727 605 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation.

“As of 5 June 2021, a total of 1 900 955 505 vaccine doses have been administered,” the organisation said.