COVID-19 infections have jumped by almost half the number of the recorded infections on Tuesday after 8 559 more people tested positive for the infectious disease on Wednesday.
The new infections, which seem to contradict the notion that the daily infection numbers were dropping, increased the total national number to 529 877.
Also, the new infections were recorded from 34 989 tests conducted in the last 24 hour cycle, increasing the total number of conducted tests so far to 3 113 191.
This was announced by Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday August 5.
Mkhize also said 414 patients have lost their lives to the disease, increasing the fatality cases from 8 884 to 9 298.
Of the new deaths, 135 were recorded in the Eastern Cape, 45 in Gauteng, 62 in KwaZulu-Natal, 34 in the Western Cape, 16 in Mpumalanga, and 122 in the Free State
He also said of the 529 877 positive cases, 377 266 patients have recovered from the disease, increasing the recovery rate from 69.8 to 71 percent.
Mkhize said he will visit KwaZulu-Natal in the next two days as the province is expected to reach the peak.
