SA’s Covid-19 cases surpass 70 000, deaths set to hit 1 500

South Africa reported its biggest daily jump in confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday night, with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize revealing 4 302 new infections.

The new record sees the country’s overall tally surpass the 70 000-mark, while the death toll is set to surpass 1 500.

Mkhize said that the cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases stood at 70 038, while the total number of deaths is now 1 480. This translates into a current mortality rate of 2.1%. Of the more than 70 000 cases countrywide, there have been 38 531 recoveries as of Sunday.

#COVID19SouthAfrica Statistics as at 14 June 2020. pic.twitter.com/Yf0EMXvsZh

— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) June 14, 2020

While the Western Cape remains the epicentre of the virus in South Africa, accounting for 60.7% of cases (42 539) and 1 083 deaths, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape are seeing a spike in cases.

The country’s economic hub of Gauteng, which is the most populous province despite being the smallest in size, has re-claimed second spot in terms of the highest number of cases (11 164 or 15.9%). It saw 1 267 new cases being reported on Sunday, a double-digit increase over Saturday of more than 12%.

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Gauteng also overtook KwaZulu-Natal in terms of overall coronavirus-related fatalities on Saturday, when it reported 24 deaths. While none of the 57 new deaths highlighted in Mkhize’s latest update on Sunday night were from Gauteng, the province’s death toll now stands at 81.

The Eastern Cape has 10 027 confirmed Covid-19 cases, accounting for 14.3% of South Africa’s overall cases. It also accounts for the second highest number of virus-linked deaths, at 227 currently.

KwaZulu-Natal, the country’s second largest economic hub and second most populous province after Gauteng, has 3 874 confirmed cases and 69 Covid-19 deaths. However, the level of testing in the province is not clear. Both Gauteng and the Western Cape have done more Covid-19 tests than KwaZulu-Natal.

According to Mkhize’s latest update, 1 121 958 tests have been carried out countrywide as of Sunday, with 34 071 done in the 24-hour cycle (since Saturday).

The minister’s daily update does not give a breakdown of tests per province; however, he has been on record as saying that more than a third of tests have been undertaken in Gauteng. Meanwhile, according to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde’s latest Covid-19 update, the province has done 234 868 tests as of Sunday.