The number of new Covid-19 cases in South Africa climbed by 8,881 on Wednesday (June 9), new data from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases shows.
The NICD, a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, pointed to a 16.5% positivity testing rate, while the total number of confirmed cases in the country moved to to 1,712,939.
It has recorded 127 new deaths on Wednesday, taking the total to 57,310.
Worryingly, the country’s most populous and productive province, Gauteng, has recorded the bulk of infections at 5,111 – or 58% of the new cases.
The increased number of tests and cases, and increased positivity are all evidence of the predicted third surge in Covid-19 cases, the NICD said in a statement.
South Africa’s largest private medical insurer, Discovery warned its customers in Gauteng over the ‘alarming’ increase in the rate of infections in the province. “As a resident of Gauteng, you are currently at high risk of Covid-19 infection,” it said.
“Our data shows an alarming increase in the rate of infections over the past few days,” Discovery said.
The Gauteng Department of Health provided a breakdown of the areas most affected by a surge in new cases as at 08 June.
#COVID19 || GAUTENG CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES DISTRICT BREAKDOWNThe total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Gauteng as at 08 June 2021 sits at 479 005 with 445 569 recoveries and 11 481 deaths. #GrowingGautengTogetherpic.twitter.com/ZdaGKvuwDj
Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) June 9, 2021
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