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‘Worrying’ Rise in South African Covid Cases, Minister Says

  • Positivity rate has risen for 6 straight days, NICD data show
  • Economic hub Gauteng reported the most number of new cases
Heath workers prepare their vaccine administration area at a school in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Heath workers prepare their vaccine administration area at a school in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg
Updated on

South African authorities are monitoring “worrying signs” in the level of new coronavirus infections, according to Health Minister Joe Phaahla.

The proportion of positive test results rose for a sixth day to 17.8% in data released on Friday, with 4,631 new infections detected, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said. That compared with 15.8% a day earlier and is the highest rate since Jan. 8, when a wave driven by the newly discovered omicron variant was waning.