Staff Writer 
Covid-19 pandemic: South Africa now ranks 5th on global
– South Africa has now risen to the fifth worst-hit country on a global level in the fight against Covid-19 – This comes after the World Health Organisation announced a new record in the number of infections noted in a single day – SA recorded 350 879 infections on Saturday evening, around half of the African continent’s cases
South Africa is now the nation with the fifth-highest number of Covid-19 infections world. This comes as the entity reported a new record of infections seen in the space of a single day.
Currently, the United States tops the chart globally with 3 727 371 infections. The pandemic in South Africa sees the nation recording roughly half of Africa’s total infections. Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize had provided SA with an update on the latest statistics on Saturday evening: “As of today, a cumulative total of 350 879 confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa have been recorded with 13 285 new cases identified.”
South Africa now ranks 5th worldwide in the Covid-19 pandemic. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mkhize’s appeal: SA can’t ‘abandon’ Covid-19 fight despite fatigue The number of fatalities also increased, with the minister noting 144 new deaths due to the virus: “Regrettably we report 144 new COVID-19 related deaths. This brings the cumulative number of deaths to 4948.
We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased. The number of recoveries currently stands at 182 230, which translates to a recovery rate of 52%.” Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that Mkhize had urged citizens to do their part in fighting the virus, adamant that the government could not manage this task alone.
The minister acknowledged that some citizens may be feeling the strain after being under lockdown since late March: “We are extremely concerned that fatigue seems to have set in and South Africans are letting down their guard at a time when the spread of infection is surging.
We see poor or no social distancing in communities. Masks are being abandoned or not worn properly and there is laxity setting in around frequent hand-washing. This will directly influence the rise in numbers in the next two weeks.”
Source: SABCNews