COVID-19: KZN and GP vaccination targets fall behind, over 15k new cases recorded in SA

The health department has said that, due to the violence that gripped Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, its vaccination targets have fallen behind.

The department said it had anticipated a weekly vaccination target of over 200,000 but some sites in both provinces had to close to protect the vials.

However, the department says it directed the vaccines to increase capacity in other provinces.

According to officials, over 5,046,000 jabs have been administered across the country.

The health department’s deputy director-general Nicholas Crisp said, “Other provinces have stepped up to the plate and they have been vaccinating as fast as they can. The vaccines that would have gone to KwaZulu-Natal in this period have now been re-directed to other provinces, and when it is stable there, we will all help them again to get them back up to speed.”

Meanwhile, 413 people have died from COVID-19 complications in South Africa during the past 24-hour reporting cycle.

This pushes the number of fatalities in the country to 66,385 in total.

The health department has reported that 15,939 infections were recorded in the same 24-hours cycle, bringing the overall number of cases to more than 2,269,000.

Active cases stood at 193,338.

The recovery rate stood at 88,6% – which means at least over 2 million people have recuperated since the outbreak of the pandemic in South Africa.

-EWN

In other news – Touching scenes: Skeem Saam actress Nokuzola Mlengana (Sis Ouma) died before her time

The funeral service of Skeem Saam actress Nokuzola Mlengana, who played Sis Ouma took place today. It was broadcast live on UCR FM Facebook page from 8 am.

Many of her fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry couldn’t bid farewell to her as funerals are allowed to have only 50 people. Only close friends and family were allowed to attend the funeral. Learn More