South Africa has recorded 2 226 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 603 856.

The increase represents a 9.5% positivity rate.

The Department of Health has reported 117 deaths and of these, 15 occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours. This brings the total fatalities to 95 022 to date.

The department says there has been an increase of 23 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, says it continues to provide laboratory-based surveillance to inform the public health response towards COVID-19 in South Africa.

With regard to the tests conducted, 22 251 589 tests were conducted in both public and private sectors.

The majority of new cases are from Gauteng (34%), followed by the Western Cape (16%).

KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga each accounted for 13% respectively, Limpopo and North West each accounted for 7%, respectively, Free State accounted for 6%, Eastern Cape accounted for 4%, and Northern Cape accounted for 3% of the new cases.

Number of cases by province: Gauteng 756, Free State 128, KwaZulu-Natal 256, Mpumalanga 276, Eastern Cape 99, Northern Cape 56, Limpopo 157, Western Cape 351 and North West 147.

Source: South African Government News Agency