South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said the country recorded 1,654 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 1,510,778, reported Anadolu Agency. He said 117 fatalities recorded on Friday pushed the total death toll to 49,784.
“Regrettably, 117 deaths have been reported. We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased patients,” the South African minister said.
South Africa has recorded the highest number of coronavirus infections on the African continent and is the sixteenth most-affected country in the world.
The health authorities have conducted over 9 million COVID-19 tests since the virus was first detected here last March with 28,752 new tests being performed in the past 24 hours. Over 1.4 million people have recovered from the coronavirus representing a recovery rate of 94%.
The South African health authorities began vaccinating health care workers last Wednesday with state leaders and a group of health care workers becoming the first recipients at a hospital in Cape Town.
On Thursday, Mkhize told the National Assembly that the country is planning to vaccinate 1.1 million people by the end of March, mostly health care workers. He said the government is set to receive a second batch of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and a shipment of 600,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot before the end of the month.
It has secured millions of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, said to be more effective against a strain of the virus that is dominant in South Africa.
The government has launched the vaccination campaign in phases, with health care workers getting the jabs first. The second phase will include essential workers, teachers, the elderly, and those with comorbidities. The third phase will include all other adults.
