SA COVID death toll rises to 93,451 as 1,691 new infections recorded

The Health Department has confirmed 87 more deaths but it is once again pointing to the backlog in reporting as only 25 of these fatalities occurred over the past 48 hours.

A morgue attendant at the Johannesburg branch of the South African funeral and burial services company Avbob checks the condition of a protective wrapping inside a refrigerated container where bodies of patients deceased with COVID-19 related illnesses are kept isolated ahead of their burials on 22 January 2021. Picture: AFP

Tara Penny | 120 days ago

JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's daily COVID-19 positivity rate has slipped to 9.3%.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), 1,691 tests came back positive over the past 24-hour reporting cycle.

The Health Department has also confirmed 87 more deaths but it is once again pointing to the backlog in reporting as only 25 of these fatalities occurred over the past 48 hours.

These take the country's already grim death toll to 93,451.

On the vaccine front, just under 29 million vaccines have been administered in the country so far.

As of today the cumulative number of #COVID19 cases identified in SA is 3 560 921 with 1 691 new cases reported. Today 87 deaths have been reported bringing the total to 93 451 deaths. The cumulative number of recoveries now stand at 3 375 859 with a recovery rate of 94.8% pic.twitter.com/gAWYlYi1kS
Department of Health (@HealthZA) January 17, 2022

Due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH), there may be a backlog of #COVID19 mortality cases reported. Today, the NDoH reports 87 deaths and of these, 25 occurred in the past 24 - 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to93 451to date.
Department of Health (@HealthZA) January 17, 2022