South Africa has recorded 414 new COVID-19 cases, which brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 2 916 593 since the outbreak.

The increase represents a 1.8% positivity rate.

“There has been an increase of 18 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours,” the Department of Health said in a statement.

A further 25 COVID-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 88 612 to date.

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

According to the department, 18 174 247 tests have been conducted in both public and private sectors.

In the private sector, 9 793 716 tests were conducted, while 8 380 531 tests were conducted in the public sector.

The majority of new cases are from the Western Cape (22%), followed by Gauteng, accounting for 21%.

KwaZulu-Natal accounted for 16% of the new cases, Free State 13%, Northern Cape 11%, Eastern Cape 7%, North West 5%, Mpumalanga 3% and Limpopo 2%.

The cumulative number of cases by province is: Eastern Cape 31, Northern Cape 45, Limpopo 7, Western Cape 93, Free State 52, KwaZulu-Natal 67, North West 21, Mpumalanga 11 and Gauteng 87.

Source: South African Government News Agency