A total of 1861 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Africa over the past 24 hours, according to updated figures released by the Department of Health on Wednesday, February 24.

Reports by Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize, 110 new COVID-19-related deaths were also reported in the 24-hour cycle. Seventeen patients died in the Western Cape, five in the Eastern Cape, 61 from the Free State, seven from KwaZulu-Natal, seven from Mpumalanga, one from the Northern Cape and 12 from Gauteng.

The Department of Health recorded 8 967 460 cumulative COVID-19 tests, with over 34 000 conducted between Wednesday and Thursday. A total of 14 357 were conducted at public health facilities, while 20 153 were conducted at private facilities.

While South Africa has passed the peak of the second wave of COVID-19, Mkhize warned that a third wave is likely.

During an interview with eNCA, Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, said the third wave may hit when winter begins.

Third wave of COVID-19 likely, says Zweli Mkhize

Picture: Polity.org

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.