The number of COVID-19 deaths has increased from 552 to 577 after 25 more people succumbed to the disease.
The new confirmed COVID-19 cases have also skyrocketed from 25 935 to 27403 after 1466 tested positive to the disease which is caused by the novel coronavirus.
This was announced by Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize on Thursday.
Mkhize also said he was concerned about the backlog of tests.
He said that, as of May 27, 634,996 tests had been conducted across the country. But of those, “a total of 29,948 tests reflects a backlog of unallocated tests”.
He said that when specimens were collected, but not always processed immediately – resulting in a backlog in tests.
“This means tests are not concluded on the same day when the specimen is received. The number of days it takes to clear those specimen remains variable,” he said in a statement.
The provincial breakdown of cases, deaths and recoveries was on Thursday provided as:
- Western Cape — 17,754 cases, 406 deaths, 9,157 recoveries;
- Gauteng — 3,329 cases, 31 deaths, 1,993 recoveries;
- Eastern Cape — 3,306 cases, 77 deaths, 1,700 recoveries;
- KwaZulu-Natal — 2,349 cases, 50 deaths, 1,180 recoveries;
- Free State — 225 cases, 8 deaths, 123 recoveries;
- Limpopo — 144 cases, 3 deaths, 75 recoveries;
- North West — 134 cases, 1 death, 45 recoveries;
- Mpumalanga — 111 cases, 0 deaths, 67 recoveries; and
- Northern Cape — 51 cases, 1 deaths, 30 recoveries.
