South Africa records highest rise in virus cases

South Africa has recorded its highest-ever single-day increase in Covid-19 cases.

The health ministry said there were 13,674 infections in the past 24 hours from the highest number of tests done in a single day in the country.

Nearly half of the new Covid-19 cases in South Africa, 6,531, were recorded in the economic hub Gauteng, which has become the epicentre of the virus.

So far 3,720 people have died and that number is expected to rise as the country heads towards the infection peak in the next few months.

While the disease is beginning to spread quickly here – the recovery rate is still around 47%, experts say.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, who chairs the government’s Covid-19 advisory committee, says South Africans will need to get used to living with the virus – and keep taking the necessary precautions until treatment has been found.

He said there are currently 130 different vaccines trials globally, including one that started in South Africa two weeks ago.

The country has been under lockdown for more than three months – but some industries have reopened in the last few weeks, in a bid to protect jobs and the economy.