The Ministry of Health has recorded South Africa’s highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the past 24-hours. A total of 216 citizens died as a result of the novel coronavirus. This brings the country’s death toll to 4 669. This news was announced on Thursday, July 16.
According to the Ministry, there are more than 13 000 new cases of COVID-19, and this brings the country’s total number of infections to 324 000.
Gauteng recorded the highest number of deaths in the country in the past 24 hours, with 86 deaths. It is South Africa’s smallest province, but is also one of the most densely populated. The Western Cape recorded 47 deaths, while 25 died in the Eastern Cape.
As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 324 221, the total number of deaths is 4 669 and the total number recoveries is 165 591 pic.twitter.com/cf5BzalpaG
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) July 16, 2020
The Western Cape was previously the country’s epicentre for COVID-19, but has been overtaken by Gauteng. These two provinces account for 36% and 26% of South Africa’s cases, respectively. The recovery rate is at 51% – this equates to more than 165 000 recoveries nationally.
As reported by EWN, South Africa has the sixth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. In the past 24 hours, it has overtaken Chile and Mexico in cases, and overtook countries such as the UK, Spain and Italy earlier this week. Despite this, South Africa’s mortality rate is lower than that of many other countries.
The countries South Africa ranks below for the number of cases is the US, Brazil, India, Russia and Peru, in that order.
ALSO READ: Western Cape has 14 241 active cases of COVID-19
