SA records lowest number of Covid cases in two weeks

South Africa’s daily coronavirus cases almost halved amid a fourth wave of infections fueled by the omicron variant.

The country recorded 8 515 new infections in the past 24 hours, data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed Monday. That’s a 44% drop from a day earlier and the lowest number of daily infections since December 6.

The cases were recorded with 29.9% of Covid-19 tests analysed coming back positive, down from 30.7% a day earlier, the institute said.

At 29%, the majority of new cases were recorded in the coastal KwaZulu-Natal province, a popular destination for domestic tourists during the current summer holiday period, followed by the economic hub of Gauteng at 22%, the data showed. The two provinces make up almost 50% of South Africa’s economic output.

Covid-19 hospital admissions rose to 8 515 from 7 915 a day earlier, the NICD said in a separate report. The number of patients in need of intensive care remained unchanged at 6.7%.