South Africa has recorded its sharpest increase in COVID-19 numbers yet. On Wednesday, the Minister of Health Zweli Mhkize said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country increased by 1 673 in 24 hours.
This brings the total number of active cases in South Africa to 25 937. Twenty-eight more people also died as a result of the virus, bringing the death toll to 552.
The good news is there are many patients recovering on a daily basis. The country’s recovery rate has increased to 52%, with a total of 13 451 people having already recovered. Approximately 65% of the country’s COVID-19 cases are in the Western Cape, with a high concentration around the Cape Town metro.
A total of 395 people have died from COVID-19 in the Western Cape.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) has also noticed a sharp spike in natural deaths in Cape Town, particularly in week of May 19.
Natural deaths are those brought on by the onset of a disease or infection, and not caused by external causes such as murder or accidents.
“We are taking it as an early signal of the impact of COVID-19,” said Debbie Bradshaw, director of the MRC’s burden of disease unit to Business Day.
Picture: un.org