The number of covid19 positive cases in the country rose to 2003 on Friday.
That’s according to the Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, who also said that the number of deaths rose to 24.
It would appear that the figure released by the Minister does not include the one recorded death in Nelson Mandela Bay.
On Thursday, Eastern Cape Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba said that a 66-year-old woman died in Livingstone Hospital, with Premier Lubabalo Mabuyane offering his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Meanwhile, the Minister was addressing the media in Kwazulu Natal in the wake of the closure of the St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban after dozens of staff members tested positive for the covid19 and four patients died.
Mkhize said that there were no new outpatients while the hospital needed to contain the patients within and monitor those under investigation.
But he said, “there is no problem of compliance here.”
Minister Mkhize said that the number of people tested for the coronavirus was 73 028, with 410 recoveries. He also noted that, except for two cases, all the people who died were aged 63 and over.
He paid tribute to President Cyril Ramaphosa for extending the lockdown, saying there was clear scientific evidence to support this decision.
