Covid-19 fatalities jump by 30 to 369
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has sent more reinforcement to the Western Cape as the daily jump in new Covid-19 infections show no signs of abating.
Mkhize revealed on Thursday that South Africa had recorded 1 137 new cases and 30 fatalities.
That brought the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 19 137 with a total of 369 deaths.
Mkhize said Western Cape remains the hotspot with 63% of the country's total cases.
This has forced the department to send more resources to the province.
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"This has necessitated us to move with additional support and reinforcement which we have sent to the Western Cape,” said Mkhize.
“As of yesterday 28 specialist have gone in there. There will be also additional reinforcement coming from military health services.”
The province will also be hiring additional healthcare workers.
"We have had a long discussion with the provincial MEC and the head of [the health] department and we have agreed that they need to go all out to employ additional human resources, especially nurses,” said Mkhize.
"In the past few weeks, they have been able to appoint about 800 and there are more that we need in that area.”
More field hospital beds also need to be added, he said.