South Africa has registered 17 489 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the cumulative number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 236 805.

“This increase represents a 31% positivity rate,” said the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).

According to the public health institution, Gauteng remains the epicentre with 46% of the new cases, followed by the Western Cape with 17%.

Limpopo accounted for 10%, the North West 9%, Mpumalanga 7%, the Eastern Cape 5%, Free State 3%, and KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape 2% each.

While the number of infections continues to rise, the NICD said the seven-day moving average daily number of cases has dropped.

“The total number of cases today is higher than yesterday but lower than the average number of new cases per day over the seven preceding days,” the institute said on Wednesday.

South Africa recorded 453 new deaths, bringing the tally to 65 595 since the outbreak.

Meanwhile, with the current disruption of some COVID-19 testing sites in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, the NICD said there are people with symptoms who cannot access these facilities.

The NICD has since pleaded with people to try to limit the transmission of the virus by taking precautions and quarantine if possible.

The country recorded 787 additional hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. This means there are now 17 560 patients with COVID-19, who are receiving treatment at various health institutions out of the 200 694 people who are currently infected across the country.

According to the latest data, the country has now administered 4 688 779 vaccines, with 146 230 being distributed in the past 24 hours.

Globally, as of 14 July, there have been 187 519 798 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 4 049 372 deaths, reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO said 3 400 884 367 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide.

Source: South African Government News Agency