Almost 700 new Covid-19 infections, as SA cases reach 11 350

South Africa reported a record 698 new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, taking the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 11 350.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize revealed this in a brief statement, following an International Nurses Day commemoration in KwaZulu-Natal. No new deaths were reported.

“A total of 369 697 tests have been conducted to date with 13 630 tests done in the past 24 hours,” he said.

Government has increased Covid-19 screening as well testing nationally in public laboratories, with public sector tests now representing 51% or 189 688 of all tests done countrywide.

According to Mkhize, of the 13 630 tests done in the last 24 hours, 61% were done by the public sector. On Monday he also reported that more than 8 million people have been screened.

A surge in cases in the Eastern Cape has seen the province overtake KwaZulu-Natal with the third highest number of confirmed cases in SA. The Western Cape has the highest number of cases as well as coronavirus-related deaths.

Below are the number of cases per province:

Western Cape – 6 105 (up by 484 cases)

Gauteng – 2 014 (up 43)

Eastern Cape – 1 504 (up 148)

KwaZulu-Natal – 1 394 (up 22)

Free State – 135 (no new cases)

Mpumalanga – 63 (no new cases)

Limpopo 54 (no new cases)

North West 51 (1 new case)

Northern Cape – 30 (no new cases)