Image via Adobe Stock
COVID-19 latest: Deaths now surpass 40 000 in SA, 11 761 new cases identified
South Africa currently has a cumulative caseload of 1 392 568 along with 40 076 deaths and 1 201 284 recoveries.
Image via Adobe Stock
The latest COVID-19 figures have been released. According to the Health Ministry, 11 761 new cases were identified in South Africa. As of today, the death toll stands at 40 076, with recoveries at 1 201 284.
COVID-19 update: 22 January 2021
Breakdown of new confirmed COVID-19 cases
As per Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s report, 11 761 confirmed cases were identified during the past 24 hours (11381 new cases on 21 January). Unfortunately, we also lost 575 patients to COVID-19-related illnesses.
As per the report: 129 patients from the Eastern Cape passed away, 37 from the Free State, 166 from Gauteng, 133 from KwaZulu-Natal, 18 from Mpumalanga, 15 from Northern Cape and 77 from the Western Cape.
At the time of publishing, the Health Ministry conducted 7 882 846 cumulative COVID-19 tests, of which 62 251 were done during the past 24 hours: 34 169 at public facilities and 28 082 at private facilities.
Decline in transmission
Minister Mkhize confirmed that there’s a decline in transmission “as evidenced by reduced new cases [and] a steadily decreasing positivity rate (19% on Friday 22 January, from a high of 36% recorded at the height of the second wave).
“We are hoping that this decline in numbers is going to bring the much required reprieve to our overwhelmed health facilities, both in the public and private sector. We are closely monitoring this to inform our process of recommending the review of some restrictions that are currently in place”.
Breakdown of new COVID-19 cases
New cases, deaths and recoveries by province
The confirmed COVID-19 cases per province is as follows:
| Province | Total Cases in South Africa | Total Deaths | Total Recoveries | Active Cases currently |
| Gauteng | 375 761 | 7 396 | 336 054 | 32 311 |
| Western Cape | 263 386 | 9 668 | 225 453 | 28 265 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 295 949 | 7 177 | 242 404 | 46 368 |
| Free State | 72 711 | 2 593 | 60 694 | 9 424 |
| Eastern Cape | 189 559 | 9 984 | 175 705 | 3 867 |
| Limpopo | 52 847 | 1 004 | 44 700 | 7 143 |
| Mpumalanga | 58 059 | 849 | 50 507 | 6 703 |
| North West | 53 728 | 863 | 40 165 | 12 700 |
| Northern Cape | 30 568 | 542 | 25 599 | 4 427 |
| Unallocated | 0 |
As of today, the total number of confirmed #COVID19 cases is 1 392 568, the total number of deaths is 40 076 and the total number of recoveries is 1 201 284. pic.twitter.com/S5UBOfrubC
— Dr Zweli Mkhize (@DrZweliMkhize) January 22, 2021
Global statistics
At the time of publishing, the global caseload currently stands at 98,457,128 as of Friday 22 January 2021, along with 2,108,297 recorded deaths and 70,726,898 recoveries.
The USA has a caseload of 25,275,066 confirmed cases, along with 421,731 total deaths and 15,124,652 recoveries. Approximately 78,980 new cases were recorded over the last 24 hours.
Also in the top five is worst-affected countries is India with a caseload of 10,640,464 while Brazil has a caseload of 8,699,814, Russia with 3,677,352 and the UK with 3,583,907.
France, which used to occupy the fifth spot, dropped down to sixth place. South Africa is currently 15th on the list, preceded by Poland, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Turkey.
