Update: Covid-19 cases

2 May 2020

As at today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa is 6336.

The total number of tests conducted to date is 230 686, of which 13 164 were done in the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of tests done in a 24 hour cycle to date.

The Provincial Breakdown is as follows:

Reported Deaths, Recoveries and Comments:

Regrettably, we are saddened to report a further 7 COVID-19 related deaths from the Western Cape and Free State.

This brings the total number of deaths to 123.

We wish to express our condolences to the families of the deceased and salute the health care workers who treated the deceased patients.

We are however pleased to report that the number of recoveries now stands at 2549

Below is the Provincial Breakdown of Deaths and Recoveries

We have also begun to study the deaths to begin to elucidate patterns and areas of high risk. We have observed the following:

Distribution of Deaths by Gender:

Male (%)  71 (58%)
Female (%) 52 (42%)
Total:  123

Distribution of Deaths by Age:

The median age of patients who died was 64 .

Co-morbidities

We have looked at the data for patients who have been hospitalized and found that, consistent with evidence emerging worldwide, hypertension, diabetes and cardiac disease are the three most common co-morbidities associated with serious illness from COVID-19.

Other co-morbidities that were seen amongst COVID-19 admitted patients were chronic pulmonary disease, asthma, chronic renal disease, malignancy, HIV, active and past tuberculosis.

I would therefore like to urge our millions of South Africans who are over 63 years of age and those who live with these conditions to take extra precaution as we ease the lockdown.

I would also like to urge all South Africans to continue to stay at home as far as possible, only venturing out to perform essential tasks as we move through the stages of the gradual lifting of lockdown.

Previous:

Media statement

1 May 2020

As at today, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Africa is 5951

The total number of tests conducted to date is 217 522, of which 9992 were done in the last 24 hours.

We are also pleased to announce the new figures for recoveries which stand at 2382 as at 29 April 2020.

The Provincial Breakdown is as follows:

Reported Deaths:
Regrettably, we are saddened to report a further 13 COVID-19 related deaths from the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape. This brings the total of COVID-19 related deaths to 116. As we have undertook to only report fully verified deaths, we would like to indicate that there has been a delay in assessing and verifying some of those reports We wish to express our condolences to the families of the deceased and salute the health care workers who treated the deceased patients.

Issued by Minister Zweli Mkhize, Department of Health, 2 May 2020