South Africa has detected more than 3 000 new COVID-19 infections in one day – for the first time in three months.
Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, said 42 073 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, with 3 221 new cases, representing a 7.7% positivity rate.
South Africa now has 1 605 252 confirmed cases since the outbreak.
Additionally, the country logged 44 deaths on Thursday, which pushes the tally to 55 012.
Of the latest fatalities, 19 are from Free State, 13 are from Gauteng, five from the Western Cape, three from KwaZulu-Natal and two each from the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape.
Meanwhile, the recovery rate now stands at 94.7%.
The Minister said the country currently has 29 362 active cases.
Minister Mkhize appeared on SABC earlier this morning, to discuss the resurgence of the virus.
He said the Free State is already in official ‘third wave’ territory with the Northern Cape set to follow.
Mkhize said there will be a significant meeting of the NCCC to discuss which regulations must be tightened.
“We are going to look at additional restrictions. That’s up for discussion for the National Coronavirus Command Council. We are going to recommend that there should be a more focus on the size of the gatherings and look at the focus of the measures released when we thought the situation is more improved. When numbers rise, we increase restrictions,” he said.