Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, announced on Saturday night that these seven patients are part of 148 people who died in the last 24 hours in the country.

This now takes the death toll of those who died due to Covid-19-related complications in the Northern Cape to 36, after 29 deaths were previously reported.

Their deaths come as the rate of infections continues to increase.

According to the latest statistics by Mkhize, the Northern Cape has 3,408 active cases after 1,517 patients recovered from the virus, and 36 deaths were recorded from the 4,961 reported cases.

The Provincial Department of Health's spokesperson, Lebohang Majaha, reports that from the seven new Covid-19 related deaths, three are from the Namakwa District and four from the Frances Baard District.

Majaha also announced that seventeen people are incorrectly allocated to the Northern Cape and will be reallocated to other provinces shortly. "The number of recoveries currently stands at 1 517, which translates to a recovery rate of 31%," he adds.

The Northern Cape has the lowest number of cumulative cases, active cases and number of deaths in the country.

The increase in the number of Covid-19 infections in the province has so far affected over 80 schools and forced them to shut their doors before government's decision to close public schools due to the spread of the virus.

These schools are mostly from areas in the province which are hard-hit by the virus.

This comes a month after President Cyril Ramaphosa told the country that scientists had predicted up to 50,000 deaths in South Africa.

 OFM News