Key Sentence:
- South Africa records 16,240 new confirmed Covid-19 cases and infections 516 deaths, 68,192 deaths as of Wednesday.
As the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases is already 2,327,472, this increase corresponds to a positive rate of 27.5%, according to a statement from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NICD). A total of 14,369,234 tests were conducted in the public and private sectors.
Today’s new cases are from Gauteng (32%), followed by the Western Cape (21%). KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 11%; Limpopo and Northwest 9% each; Mpumalanga by 7%; East Cape for 5%; Free Countries by 3%; and Tanjung Utara by 2%.
Today’s number of cases (16,240) is higher than yesterday’s (8,929) and higher than the average number of new cases per day for the past seven days. In addition, there was an increase of 831 hospitalizations in the last 24 hours. Justice Minister Ronald Lamola rejected accusations that detainees would receive preferential treatment as part of the Covid-19 vaccination program.
The minister told Jacaranda FM: “With regards to those who criticize us and claim that we prefer prisoners over society, this criticism is unfounded. Older inmates are vaccinated when the population aged 60 years and over suffers a stroke. “When they are 50 or older, everyone is part of society, so there is no preference. The reality is we will go further with the health department to get herd immunity.
Where’s your health? Visitors to museums, cinemas, or swimming pools in France will be denied entry on Wednesday if they cannot present documents proving they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or that they have recently tested negative.
Health cards, previously only required for big festivals or clubs, will also be needed from early August to enter restaurants and bars and for long-distance train and plane travel, as authorities try to slow the spread of the virus and encourage people to get vaccinated.
Introducing a health card – a QR code on your smartphone or a piece of paper – is highly controversial in France and sparked protests across the country. Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday forecast just $2.5 billion in sales of its Covid-19 vaccine by 2021, lagging behind competitor photos from Pfizer and Moderna as the company tackles vaccine production and safety considerations.