South Africa’s coronavirus cases inched to over 300,000, the health ministry said. As the continent’s worst-affected country hurtles towards an expected peak of infections.
“We have exceeded the 300,000 mark to reach a cumulative total of 311,049 confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa,” Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement.
An additional 107 fatalities also reported bringing the total number of deaths up to 4,453.
Over 35 per cent of cases recorded in Gauteng province – South Africa’s financial hub and epicentre of the outbreak, which also accounts for the highest number of deaths.
President Cyril Ramaphosa last week warned that the “coronavirus storm” South Africa faced was “far fiercer and more destructive than any we have known before”.
The country has the hardest-hit in Africa. Followed by Egypt with just under 85,000 confirmed cases and 4,067 deaths to date.
South Africa’s mortality rate has remained low, however, at just under 1.5 per cent on Wednesday.
More than half of the country’s Covid-19 patients have recovered from the virus.
“We are now facing a real rise in infections,” Mr Ramaphosa said earlier. Noting growing pressure on “challenged” health facilities.
