COVID-19: A breakdown of South Africa’s confirmed deaths

Two more deaths related to complications brought on by COVID-19 were confirmed in South Africa on Saturday, bringing the country’s toll to nine.

South Africa now has 1 585 cases of the novel coronavirus, an increase of 80 from the number reported the previous day.

KwaZulu-Natal accounts for majority of SA’s COVID-19 deaths

The number of people who have lost their lives to the pandemic was sitting at seven on Friday, with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize stating that his department was awaiting confirmation on two more deaths recorded on the day.

On Saturday, as he announced the number of confirmed cases in the country, Mkhize revealed that a total of 11 people infected with the virus have been linked to the same KwaZulu-Natal hospital – Durban’s St Augustine Hospital.

Out of the nine deceased, three have been admitted in the hospital, Mkhize revealed.

“Furthermore, three of the deceased patients from KZN had been admitted at the hospital. The COVID-19 positive cases include patients, health workers, and other staff members,” he said.

Dr Zweli Mkhize

The province accounts for six of the nine COVID-19 linked deaths, with the Western Cape, Gauteng and Free State each registering one deceased person apiece.

The first confirmed death came from the Western Cape on Friday, 27 March – a 48-year-old woman who is among the younger people in the country to lose their lives to coronavirus-related illnesses.

The youngest is a 46-year-old KwaZulu-Natal woman, while most of the deaths have occurred in the elderly.

The oldest person to succumb to the virus is an 85-year-old man from the Free State, whose death was added to the tally on Saturday.

SA’s COVID-19 deaths by province

Free State

• 85-year-old male

Gauteng

• 79-year-old male 

KwaZulu-Natal

• 46-year-old female
• 63-year-old female
• 74-year-old male
• 80-year-old male
• 80-year-old female
• 81-year-old female

Western Cape 

• 48-year-old female