Medical workers disinfect equipment at an isolation ward in a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa, July 10, 2020. As of Thursday, a total of 238,339 COVID-19 cases were reported in South Africa, said Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. (Photo by Yeshiel/Xinhua)
CAPE TOWN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- South Africa has completed over 2 million tests for COVID-19 amid a record high single-day surge in cases, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said Thursday.
Of 2,000,569 tests completed, 56,170 tests were conducted in the past 24 hours, Mkhize said in his daily update.
"This is an enormous achievement that we can all be proud of as South Africans," said Mkhize.
As mass community testing has been gaining momentum, South Africa also saw rapid rises in confirmed cases and virus-related deaths.
As of Thursday, a total of 238,339 cases were reported with 13,674 new cases recorded over the past 24 hours, the highest single-day surge since the outbreak in early March, said Mkhize.
"Regrettably, we report a further 129 COVID-19 related deaths -- one from Northern Cape, 26 from KwaZulu-Natal, 28 from Eastern Cape, 37 from Gauteng and 37 from Western Cape," the minister said, adding that the nationwide death toll has reached 3,720.
Gauteng has overtaken the Western Cape to become the country's hardest-hit province with 81,546 cases, said Mkhize.
The Western Cape was ranked second with 74,815 cases, followed by the Eastern Cape with 44,432, and KwaZulu-Natal with 19,630.
