CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
South African Covid-19 cases shoot up to 402
The number of Covid-19 cases in South Africa increased overnight by 128, according to a statement by the Minister of Health. The department has not published travel histories for the new cases, saying that they will explain the sharp increase after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation on Monday night.
The number of positive Covid-19 cases has increased by 128 to 402 between Sunday 22 March and Monday 23 March, the Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, announced on Monday afternoon.
He said the reasons for the sharp increase will be shared with South Africans after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address that has been scheduled for Monday night.
The Northern Cape has also had its first confirmed cases with two patients testing positive.
Gauteng still has the most cases with 207 and the Western Cape 100. KwaZulu-Natal has 60 cases, Limpopo and North West four each, Mpumalanga nine and the Free State 13. One case has been marked as “unknown” as Mkhize said they were still following up on details.
According to the statement, the department is placing a high priority on notifying provinces of new cases so that patients can be found and contact tracing can start as soon as possible.
The highest number of cases were recorded for the 31-40 age group (69) and the 51-60 group (63).
The department has not published travel histories for the new cases. According to the travel ban announced by Ramaphosa on 18 March these are the US, the UK, several countries in the European Union, Iran, South Korea and China. DM
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