Health minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, announced early Friday morning that total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa has risen to 482,169 after 11,046 more people contracted the virus over a 24-hour reporting period.<\/p>\n
Gauteng remains the hardest-hit province with 171,574 cases, followed by the Western Cape 94,440, Eastern Cape 77,055 and KwaZulu-Natal with 73,919 cases.<\/p>\n
Gauteng accounts for 35.6% of all cases, as the Western Cape begins to show signs of recovery. “The early indication that the pandemic is starting to ease in some areas of the Western Cape is reflected in our healthcare services platform capacity,” said premier Alan Winde. <\/span><\/p>\n The Western Cape province accounted for more than than 65% of all cases in the country in the early stages of the pandemic. The province has 10,915 t<\/span>otal active cases, with hospitalisations at 1,500 – 280 in ICU or high care.<\/p>\n South Africa recorded 315 more deaths due to Covid-19, minister Mkhize reported on Friday morning.<\/p>\n A total of 121 deaths were reported in the Eastern Cape, 96 in Gauteng, 55 in KwaZulu-Natal, 34 in the Western Cape and nine in the North West.<\/p>\n This brings the cumulative number of deaths to 7,812 as of Thursday, he said.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Dr Mkhize warned<\/a> that the peak for Covid-19 infections will likely continue into September.<\/p>\n “What we expect is that the numbers are still likely to increase. We expect, in terms of the models, that in August and September we will still have high numbers. Each province has got its own trajectory,\u201d he said as part of a Q&A with the public on Sunday evening, broadcast by Newzroom Afrika<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The minister stressed that if the country does not practice social behavioural changes, <\/span>the virus<\/span> will continue to spread. \u201cThe numbers will always grow depending on how well as a community we can break the cycle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He once again called on South Africans to wear masks, practice physical distancing, sanitise and wash their hands.<\/p>\n Dr Mkhize said that the country is in the grips of the worst phase of the virus<\/a>. \u201cWe expect the numbers are still likely to increase \u2026 August and September we\u2019ll still have high numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n Premier Winde warned at the beginning of July, that the virus peak was anticipated to be \u201cflatter, later and longer\u201d than previously thought.<\/p>\n Citing projections from the National Covid-19 Epi-Model (NCEM), he said that the province\u2019s peak would likely occur between the end of July, and beginning of August.<\/p>\n \u201cThis peak is also flatter than was originally projected. This means that we will not have as many hospitalisations and deaths at the peak as we originally thought,” he said.<\/p>\n Gauteng, South Africa’s most populous province, has become the so called ‘epicentre’ of the the coronavirus in recent weeks, with the peak yet to hit.<\/p>\n GAUTENG CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES DISTRICT BREAKDOWN: \u2014 Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) July 30, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
\nThe total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gauteng as at 29 July 2020 sits at 168 369, with 106 360 recoveries and 1836 deaths.#GrowingGautengTogether<\/a> #GautengCOVID19<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/iUXEZwS4Ae<\/a><\/p>\n