SA records over 10 000 new Covid-19 cases - biggest jump in months

Durban – More than 10 000 more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in South Africa in the last 24 hours, the country's biggest spike in recent months.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health, said the country's cases had climbed by 10 017 with 50 new deaths reported.

The latest Covid-19 statistics show South Africa now has 69 872 active cases.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the majority of new cases today are from Gauteng (39%), followed by Kwa-Zulu Natal (21%). Western Cape accounted for 17%; Eastern Cape and Free State each accounted for 6% respectively; Mpumalanga and North West each accounted for 3% respectively; Northern Cape accounted for 2%; and Limpopo accounted for 1% of today’s new cases.

The NICD noted that there had been an increase of 164 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, said the country is not in the 5th wave as yet.

“Indications at this stage are that we are not yet in the fifth wave, but as the cold weather takes hold and we spend more time indoors, the risk of the fifth wave continues to loom large,” he said.

According to Senior researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr Ridhwaan Suliman, a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases in Gauteng places the province “once again” as the epicentre of a resurgence.

He said while it’s too early to read much into the severity of current Covid-19 resurgence being experienced in Gauteng and South Africa, early indications suggest a similar decoupling effect as with the original Omicron wave due to high levels of population immunity.

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