South Africa has recorded 2 970 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 963 394.

This increase represents an 11.6% positivity rate.

According to the National Department of Health, 31 deaths have been recorded, including the 10 deaths that occurred in the past 24 to 48 hours, bringing the total to 101 250 deaths.

“The cumulative number of recoveries now stands at 3 821 550, with a recovery rate of 96.4%,” the department said.

To date, 25 314 119 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors, with 13 800 477 tests conducted in the private sector and 11 513 642 conducted in public sector facilities.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported that the majority of new cases are from Gauteng with 31%, followed by the Western Cape with 23% cases.

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 13% of the new cases, Eastern Cape 10%; both Free State and North West accounted for 6%; Mpumalanga 5%, while Northern Cape accounted for 4% and Limpopo with 2%.

Over 38 000 vaccines administered in the last 24 hours

Meanwhile, a total of 38 507 vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. This includes 10 195 Johnson and Johnson vaccines and 28 312 Pfizer vaccines.

The total number of first doses administered in the last 24 hours is 14 916, including 4 468 Johnson and Johnson and 10 448 Pfizer vaccines.

A total of 14 261 individuals were fully vaccinated in the last 24 hours, with 4 468 vaccinated with Johnson and Johnson, 5 412 with Pfizer vaccines, and 4 381 children aged, between 12 and 17 years, vaccinated with Pfizer.

Source: South African Government News Agency