Just over 20k active Covid-19 cases in SA as the nation waits to hear about J&J jabs
South Africa currently has 20 131 active Covid-19 cases.
This as the country is waiting for the decision on the rollout of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for the first mass vaccination programme of its kind in history.
The use of the vaccine was suspended earlier this month following a similar decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
The reason for the suspension, given by both the FDA and Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, is to give authorities a chance to re-evaluate a possible causal link between the vaccine and six cases in the US where women developed blood clots in the brain, coupled with low platelets.
Meanwhile, in his latest report, Mkhize says 1 569 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the county’s total Covid-19 cases to 1 569 935.
The new figures come in the wake of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) sounding the alarm after a spike in Covid-19 cases in at least three provinces.
Senior epidemiologist Dr Harry Moultrie says the NCID is trying to determine if the rise in cases in the Northern Cape, the North West and the Free State can be attributed to cluster outbreaks.
There were a further 53 coronavirus related deaths.
Limpopo and North West recorded 0 fatalities.
However, Mpumalanga reported 1 death, Kwa-Zulu Natal 3, Western Cape 4, Gauteng 8, Northern Cape 9, Free State 11 and the Eastern Cape 17.
This brings the total to 53 940 deaths.
“We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased,” reads the statement by Mkhize.
The country’s recovery rate stands at 95%.
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