South Africa’s covid-19 cases pass half million mark, as India confirms 1.75m infections

Health authorities in South Africa have confirmed that the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the country has passed half a million mark as the deadly virus continues to spread.

South Africa’s health minister Zwelini Mkhize who revealed this in a statement on Saturday announced 10,107 new cases, bringing the tally to 503,290, along with 8,153 deaths.

South Africa is the hardest-hit country on the continent and accounts for half of all reported infections in Africa and it is also the fifth-highest number of cases in the world after the US, Brazil, Russia and India.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: South Africa orders closure of public schools as cases of virus increase

Meanwhile, India’s COVID-19 cases crossed 1.75 million with another spike of 54,735 in the past 24 hours.

The new cases are down from 57,118 on Saturday. The Health Ministry on Sunday also reported 853 deaths for a total of 37,364.

The month of July alone has accounted for more than 1.1 million cases in India.Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the case fatality rate was progressively reducing and currently stands at 2.18 percent, one of the lowest globally.

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