South Africa’s COVID-19 deaths near 80,000 mark

**Citizens wait in the queue at Mitchell’s Plain CHC to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on July 31, 2021 in Mitchell’s Plain, South Africa. (Photo by Brenton Geach / Gallo Images via Getty Images)**

The number of COVID-19 deaths in South Africa is approaching the 80,000 mark as the country continues to battle the pandemic.

Figures recorded by the country’s health authorities show an average of 340 daily deaths for the past week, by far the highest in Africa.

With its 79,251 coronavirus-related fatalities, South Africa accounts for more than 42 percent of the continent’s death toll.

The country has also recorded the highest number of infections, with its 2,680,225 accounting for nearly 36 percent of Africa’s cases.

Gauteng province is the hardest-hit, with 897,182 infections and 18,382 deaths. The province’s caseload is higher than Morocco’s 806,288 cases, which is the second-highest tally by an African country.

Two other South African provinces, Western Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal, have reported more than 400,000 COVID-19 cases each.

In efforts to contain further spread of the virus, the South African government has imposed various restrictions, including a nationwide nighttime curfew, mandatory wearing of face coverings in public, limitations on public gatherings and the closure of night clubs.

A nationwide vaccination campaign is also underway, with more than 10.4 million vaccines administered.