63 more people die of COVID-19 in SA, bringing death toll to 1,737
More than 3,400 new cases were also reported over the past 24-hour cycle.
JOHANNESBURG - Sixty-three more people have died in South Africa after contracting COVID-19, pushing the national death toll to 1,737.
More than 3,400 new cases were also reported over the past 24-hour cycle.
Health Minister Zweli Mhkize warned South Africans to prepare for what he called a heavy storm as infections continue to rise in the country.
More than 80,000 tests have come back positive over the past three months.
As of today, the cumulative number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 83 890, the total number of deaths is 1737 and the total number of recoveries is 44 920. pic.twitter.com/117SLxbbyD
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) June 18, 2020
For the first time this month, Gauteng has recorded more daily infections than the Western Cape.
Gauteng has recorded 1,278 new infections in the last 24-hour cycle while the Western Cape has recorded just under a 1,000.
The Eastern Cape has reported the highest number of daily new recoveries with almost 500 people who are now COVID-19 free since the last update on Thursday.
The average recovery rate for the entire country is 53% while the mortality rate remains consistent at 2%.
There are now just over 37,000 active cases in the country, these are patients who are either at home or receiving treatment in hospital or on a ventilator in intensive care units.