Johannesburg – South Africa continues to battle the second wave of Covid-19 that it is facing.
In the past 24 hours, the department of health said that 14 410 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded.
This takes the cumulative number of Covid-19 cases in SA to 1 127 759.
The department of health further said that 513 more deaths have been reported bringing the total to 30 524. Recoveries stand at 920 879.
Today we report a total of 1 127 759 #COVID19 cases identified, with 14 410 new cases. Total of 6 828 147 tests have been conducted with 47 875 tests conducted since the last report. 513 deaths have been reported bringing the total to 30 524. Recoveries stand at 920 879 pic.twitter.com/d7H7mcLmvl
— Department of Health (@HealthZA) January 5, 2021
The daily high infection rate prompted the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa to call for an urgent meeting of the National Coronavirus Command Counsel.
The meeting will take place on Wednesday morning at 9am. The next planned meeting was meant to take place only next week.
https://twitter.com/HealthZA/status/1346535960180355076
Tomorrow the 06 January 2021 the National Coronvirus Command Council will be meeting at 9am.
— phumla williams (@mirriamp) January 5, 2021
The president usually addresses the nation a day or two after the counsel meets, to update the country on government’s latest response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Monday, the death toll in the country surpassed the 30 000 mark.
Over the weekend, there had been many messages spread via social media that the president would be addressing the nation sooner, however, Phumla Williams dispelled these messages as fake news with the following tweet:
People I am getting a lot calls from another fake information to the public. There is no planned address by the President. All the speculations on that text are fake and urge everyone to ignore it.
— phumla williams (@mirriamp) January 4, 2021
Earlier on Tuesday, it was reported that Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda is currently isolating at home and remains in good health after testing positive for COVID-19.
According to a statement from his office, Kaunda has since urged eThekwini residents to continue to be vigilant and avoid unnecessary movements and organising super-spreader events.
He has also called upon families that are having funerals to keep the number of mourners below 50 and for mourners to go straight home after the proceedings have ended.
Read more: Durban Mayor tests positive for COVID-19
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