By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize says the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases identified in South Africa is 1 576 320.
The number of tests conducted to date is 10 545 817. Of these 14 838 tests were conducted since the last report.
Mkhize said a further 38 more COVID-19 related deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 5, Free State 5, Gauteng 3, Kwa-Zulu Natal 1, Limpopo 5, Mpumalanga 0, North West 0, Northern Cape 2 and Western Cape 17, which brings the total to 54 186 deaths.
The minister added that the cumulative recoveries now stand at 1 501 880, representing a recovery rate of 95%.
Mkhize said South Africa is still on track to vaccinate at least 45 million people residing in the country.
In a statement on Monday, Mkhize said the first 1.1 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines are ready for dispatch from the Gqeberha plant.
Aspen Pharmacare collaborated with J&J to establish the capacity required for the manufacturing of the vaccine at the company’s sterile facility for the domestic and export markets in the Eastern Cape.
“These vaccines will be flown from the plant in Gqeberha, where the final steps of manufacturing – fill and finish – were completed,” said Mkhize.
He said these vials will land at OR Tambo International Airport on the same day and get transported to the central storage warehouse.
“Once quality assurance processes are completed with the South African National Control Laboratory, then the vaccines will be dispatched to the various provinces where they will be stored at over 900 distribution sites across the country.”
Furthermore, Mkhize said the country is expecting over 650 000 doses of Pfizer before 17 May, when the second phase of the vaccination rollout is expected to begin.
The Minister has since congratulated the service providers that have been appointed to execute the transporting, warehousing and distribution services for COVID-19 vaccines for the period of 1 April 2021 to 31 December 2022.
These include DSV Healthcare, Imperial Logistics and BIOVAC.
“We entrust, arguably, our most valuable assets to these companies and we wish them well as they embark on this auspicious national duty,” said Mkhize.
Meanwhile, he said nearly 500 000 citizens 60 years and older have registered on the Electronic Vaccination Data System.