SA Covid-19 cases pass the 20,000 mark as deaths rise to nearly 400

SA has seen more than 20,000 Covid-19 cases, of which nearly 400 had resulted in death, the health ministry said on Friday.

Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said in a statement that there were 988 new cases and 28 additional deaths in the last 24-hour reporting period. This meant SA had a confirmed 20,125 cases, and 397 deaths.

The provincial breakdown of cases, deaths and recoveries was on Wednesday provided as:

• Eastern Cape — 2,459 cases, 53 deaths, 1,036 recoveries;
• Western Cape — 12,888 cases, 257 deaths, 6,126 recoveries;
• Gauteng — 2,521 cases, 29 deaths, 1,776 recoveries; 
• KwaZulu-Natal — 1,735 cases, 47 deaths, 880 recoveries;
• Free State — 185 cases, 6 deaths, 121 recoveries;
• Limpopo — 120 cases, 3 deaths, 51 recoveries;
• Mpumalanga — 98 cases, 0 deaths, 58 recoveries;
• North West — 80 cases, 1 death, 29 recoveries; and
• Northern Cape — 39 cases, 1 deaths, 27 recoveries.

The figures are from 543,032 total tests, with 17,599 done in the last 24-hour cycle.