S. Africa reports 7,999 new COVID-19 cases

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – APRIL 30: Health workers screen for COVID-19 in Wynberg Main Road on April 30, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ziyaad Douglas/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

South Africa on Sunday reported 7,999 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the national tally to 860,964, the country’s health department reported.

Meanwhile, 170 more COVID-19 deaths were recorded, taking the country’s death toll from the disease to 23,276, it said. The ministry also reported a total of 761,011 recoveries from the disease to date.

South Africa is currently in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize warned on Wednesday.

“We are now in a second wave,” he said. “We are seeing the pressure has built up in a number of provinces.”

Mkhize made the remarks during his visit to the Nelson Mandela Bay where lockdown measures were tightened this week due to rising COVID-19 cases.