S.Africa virus cases jump past 5,000 after highest daily rise

Written by Edrian Acla on

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A volunteer for the grassroots charity, Hope for Vrededorp, hands over a warm meal to a child at a daily food distribution in the impoverished district of Vrededorp in Johannesburg, on April 28, 2020. – The group home cooks almost 100 meals every day since the beginning of South Africa lockdown, and distribute them to the needy residents of the neighborhood. (Photo by MARCO LONGARI / AFP)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) –The number of coronavirus cases in South Africa surged past the 5,000 mark on Thursday after it saw the largest single-day jump to date, health ministry figures showed.

A total of 354 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, bringing the overall total to 5,350, and the number of fatalities spiked by 10 to 103.

“This is the highest number of cases in a 24 hour cycle recorded to date and represents a 73 percent increase relative to the day before,” said the ministry in a statement.

The day before, a total 203 new cases had been reported.

South Africa remains the continent’s worst infected country, followed by Egypt.

It is due to start on May 1 to gradually easing its strict lockdown regulations which were rolled out on March 27.

© Agence France-Presse