Daily COVID-19 cases breach 3 000, more than half found in Eastern Cape

On Friday 20 November 2020, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize released the latest COVID-19 statistics. In the report, he expressed concern as the daily new cases rose to and breached 3 000. According to the health minister, we have not experienced a high of 3 000 daily cases since mid-July. Another cause for concern is that more than half of the daily cases emanate from the Eastern Cape.

DAILY COVID-19 CASES BREACH 3 000 

On Friday, a total of 3 105 COVID-19 cases were reported in just 24 hours. 

“This gives a cumulative total of COVD-19 cases in South Africa to be 762 763. We wish to highlight that we have breached the 3000 mark for daily new cases,” said Mkhize. 

“Of these new cases, more than half (54,4%) are from the Eastern Cape. We are also concerned that the positivity is at 12%, which is higher than what is ideal, i.e. 10% or less,” he added. 

In an interview with SABC News, Mkhize said the numbers are starting to increase. 

“Our concern is that this is a new wave we’re seeing in the Eastern Cape, it will still be classified as a cluster outbreak,” he said.  

“The numbers are increasing. It’s a new wave, it’s not the old one. But if you compare with the other provinces, you can, for example, see in the Free State see that what we are dealing with is a declining number from the first wave, which was delayed, the same as in the Northern Cape and Limpopo,” he said. 

“But right now, the Eastern Cape is different in that it was much lower, the numbers are beginning to creep up and that’s why we are sending the message that we are now getting into troublesome waters. Everyone, everywhere now needs to take precautions,” he added.

LATEST FIGURES  

As of Friday 20 November, there are a total of 114830 COVID-19 cases in the Eastern Cape. The other provinces have been recorded as follows; 

• Free State- 58667
• Gauteng- 232653
• KwaZulu-Natal- 125721
• Limpopo- 18347
• Mpumalanga- 30971
• North West- 34527
• Northern Cape- 22905 
• Western Cape- 124142
• Unknown- 0

“Regrettably, 88 more COVID-19 related deaths were reported on Friday. Eastern Cape 67, Free State 15, Gauteng two, KwaZulu-Natal one and the Western Cape three. This brings the total to 20 759 deaths,” said Mkhize. 

“We have noted that the number of new deaths being reported daily in the Eastern Cape is rising as well,” he added.