This week stage 2 loadshedding has put a dampener on what should have been a relatively relaxed build up to Easter weekend. As such, it shifts focus away slightly from COVID-19 in South Africa and the potential impact that these upcoming holidays could ave in terms of a fifth wave of infections.

For now though, numbers continue to stay low, with no significant surges seen over the past few weeks.

The latest report from the National Department of Health (NDoH) is the same, with the past 24 hours seeing 1 291 new cases recorded. Consequently, the total number of infections recorded to date has since climbed to 3 733 919.

The department also notes that 18 fatalities have been reported too, as the death toll related to COVID-19 in South Africa has risen to 100 116.

As for other key statistics in the report, the recovery rate remains unmoved at 97 percent, while more than 24.09 million tests have been conducted to date.

Shifting to the vaccine rollout, which still remains our best defence against the spread of the virus and lessening the impact of future waves of infection, turnout is still low given the upcoming Easter weekend and newly extended stage 2 loadshedding.

The past 24 hours has seen 53 708 jabs administered and as of 17:00 on 12th April 2022, a total of 34 253 459 vaccines have been administered across SA.

The full outlook for COVID-19 in South Africa follows on below:

• COVID-19 Connect on WhatsApp – add 0600 123 456 as a contact and say “Hi”.
• World Health Organisation
• SA Coronavirus website
• SA Government
• SA Presidency

[Image – Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash]