By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD),reports that 11,767 new COVID-19 cases have been identified in South Africa in the past 24 hours, representing a 22.6% positivity rate.
The total number of laboratory-confirmed cases now stands at 1,786,079, with a further 100 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported and bringing total fatalities to 58,323, said NICD.
The Institute said the total number of cases today is lower than yesterday but higher than the average number of new cases per day over the seven preceding days. The positivity has increased from yesterday, with 12,383,955 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.
The majority of new cases today are from Gauteng (64%), followed by Western Cape (11%). North West accounted for 6%; Free State, KwaZulu-Natal & Mpumalanga each accounted for 4% respectively; Eastern Cape & Northern Cape each accounted for 3% respectively; and Limpopo accounted for 2% of today’s cases.
For updates on the national vaccine programme, click here.
People aged 60 years or older can now go to a vaccination site in Gauteng and get a Covid-19 jab, without having to pre-register on government’s Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS).
The Gauteng health department said people need only bring a proof of identity to a vaccination site. This move comes after concerns over the “slower rate of vaccination within the targeted age group”.
The latest decision will ensure that many vulnerable citizens are served, and no person is to be turned away from vaccination sites.
“The Gauteng Provincial Government has increased the vaccination sites and these will be increased as more vaccines are available,” the department said.
The department also announced the addition of 25 new vaccination sites.
“A total of 25 new sites have been added to the current list taking Gauteng vaccination list to 129 [89 public and 40 private sites]. The new sites are spread across the province: Johannesburg [10], Tshwane [5], Ekurhuleni [4], West Rand [3] and Sedibeng [3].”
The operating hours of the vaccination site at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital have also been extended to weekends, the department revealed.
This development comes as Gauteng health facilities continue to take strain due to high Covid-19 infection numbers daily.
Meanwhile visiting hours to all Gauteng public healthcare facilities have been temporarily suspended.
The Gauteng Health Department says this is because of the third wave of COVID-19 infections.
Only one visitor per patient will be allowed in exceptional cases.
The province is currently the epicentre of the third wave of COVID-19.
With the peak expected next month, there are fears health facilities will be stretched beyond capacity.