By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases for South Africa is 1 530 033.
This is an increase of 613 new cases identified and the cumulative total of tests conducted is 9 465 515 with 15 023 tests completed since the last report.
Mkhize said a further 95 COVID-19 related deaths: Eastern Cape 7, Free State 6, Gauteng 8, Kwa-Zulu Natal 22, Limpopo 1, Mpumalanga 4, North West 32, Northern Cape 5 and Western Cape 10, which brings the total to 51 421 deaths.
The minister added that the cumulative recoveries today stand at 1 455 325 representing a recovery rate of 95%.
Vaccination Rollout
The number of health care workers vaccinated under the Sisonke Protocol stands at 147 753 as at 18.30 15 March 2021.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 119 220 681 confirmed global cases, including 2 642 826 deaths.
Meanwhile World Health Organization (WHO) added the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the list of safe and emergency use in all countries and for COVAX rollout.
This comes on the back of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorisation announced last Thursday.
“Every new, safe and effective tool against COVID-19 is another step closer to controlling the pandemic. But the hope offered by these tools will not materialise unless they are made available to all people in all countries.
“I urge governments and companies to live up to their commitments and to use all solutions at their disposal to ramp up production so that these tools become truly global public goods, available and affordable to all, and a shared solution to the global crisis,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
This vaccine is the first to be listed by WHO as a single dose regimen.
The agency also listed the Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca-SK Bio and Serum Institute of India vaccines for emergency use.