JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s total number of coronavirus infections rose to 38 yesterday, from 24 a day earlier, the health ministry said.
“This means that our numbers have increased by 14 from Friday’s confirmed cases of 24,” health minister Zweli Mkhize said.
The minister had warned on Friday that there would be more infections as the department along with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases awaited laboratory confirmation.
The new infections mean Gauteng is now the province with the most infections, with 17, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11, Western Cape with nine and Mpumalanga, with one.
Commenting on the repatriation of more than 100 South Africans from Wuhan city in China, Mkhize said they were excited that the South African Defence Forces-chartered flight had successfully brought the group home.
The group touched down at Polokwane’s Gateway International Airport just before 11am yesterday.
“All the citizens have now settled in at the Ranch Hotel. Tomorrow we will give an update regarding their arrival. We are prioritising that our people settle in well,” Mkhize said.
“Thereafter, all protocols as identified by the SANDF and the Department of Health will be properly followed and implemented.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
In South Africa, there have been no Covid-19 fatalities.
Meanwhile, Rwanda, Namibia and eSwatini yesterday confirmed their first cases of the coronavirus as it continues to spread rapidly through the continent.
This means at least 20 countries on the African continent now have the Covid-19 virus within their borders.
The affected countries on the continent include: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, eSwatini, Namibia and Rwanda.
Out of the more than 5 500 deaths at the hands of Covid-19 around the world, there have been seven deaths on the African continent. — Reuters/IOL
