South Africa’s health minister urged a review of current restrictions and called for further measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 after a record surge in the number of infections.
The virus continues to spread “exponentially,” Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement late Wednesday. “The rate of spread is much faster than the first wave and we will surpass the peak of the first wave in the coming days.”
The country recorded 14,046 new cases in one day, bringing the cumulative number of cases 954,258. That’s the highest one-day jump on record, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
A further 411 coronavirus-related deaths were reported, taking the total to 25,657 since the start of the pandemic in the country, according to the statement.
The government will evaluate the situation in the provinces, identify hotspots in these areas and make recommendations based on the findings of what has to be implemented, Mkhize said.
Private hospital operators have warned that they are facing severe capacity constraints due to the resurgence in coronavirus cases.
Virus Surge Puts South African Hospitals Under Severe Strain
The government on Dec. 18 said that the spread of a new variant of the virus, called SARS-CoV2, a lineage with multiple spike mutations, which may be driving new infections. It has spread faster than other variants, with smaller amounts of this strain needed to infect people.