The number of Covid-19-related cases identified in South Africa has remained below 3 000.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement on Tuesday that a total of 2 649 new cases have been reported, compared to 2 548 yesterday (4 525 on Sunday),
In mid-November, Mkhize said that the having one-in-10 Covid-19 tests returning positive – a positivity rate of 10% – was considered as being within acceptable levels.
But this good news was offset by another deadly day, with 547 Covid-19 related deaths confirmed in the past 24 hours. However, Mkhize said that this figure took into account 134 deaths recorded in Limpopo, which had “captured deaths from retrospective audits between September 6 and January 29”.
Apart from Limpopo, 143 deaths were recorded in KwaZulu-Natal, 91 in Gauteng, 69 in the Western Cape, 68 in the Eastern Cape, 30 in the Free State, nine in Mpumalanga and three in the Northern Cape.
This meant that 44,946 Covid-19 related deaths had been recorded across SA to date.
Mkhize also reported that 1,318,504 recoveries had now been recorded, at a recovery rate of 90%.
Meanwhile the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Tandi Mahambehlala, says the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from India signifies the success of South Africa’s approach to bilateral and multilateral relations.
“We congratulate the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, through its missions abroad, for their candid vaccine diplomacy. This has been demonstrated through its successful initiation of negotiations, which secured the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines for South Africa,” Mahambehlala said on Tuesday.
Mahambehlala said the arrival of the vaccines is significant and testament to the success of South Africa’s diplomatic relations.
“The importance of diplomacy has once again been proved and is apparent for all to see during this era of the pandemic. The country, under the capable stewardship of President Cyril Ramaphosa, should work hard to enhance bilateral and multilateral relations with countries and multinational pharmaceutical companies that have shown capability in manufacturing vaccines.”
On Monday,Ramaphosa led a government delegation to welcome the arrival of the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines from the Serum Institute of India. The vaccine has undergone successfully trials at Oxford University, with South Africa’s scientists making valuable contributions.
Mahambehlala extended gratitude to the friendly government of India, calling the country a “true friend in need and a trusted partner in the BRICS [Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa] formation”.
Mahambehlala said South Africa will continue to play a role in making the vaccine available to neighbouring countries. The African Union, which was chaired by South Africa when the pandemic struck, has worked to ensure that the continent gets its fair share of the vaccine, working with the COVAX Facility and led by the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.
Mahambehlala expressed her appreciation to Ramaphosa’s successful chairing of the African Union. SA’s chairship of the AU comes to an end this week.
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.