COVID-19 daily tracker

The COVID-19 daily tracker is an easy guide to daily developments of this pandemic, globally and for Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa specifically. The PDF (see link in email body, top right) contains a series of informative graphs. 

• Global cases have surged past 11 million; the death toll has surpassed 524,000. Recoveries from the virus have increased to 6.14 million. US cases have increased to 2.83 million, accounting for 26% of global cases; the death toll is 131,485. The Texas governor has now ordered residents to wear face coverings in public; he had previously defied medical experts’ advice and guidance from local authorities for months. New infections in Texas continue to increase, while hospital ICU rooms exceed capacity. Estimates are for US deaths to reach 160,000 by 25 July. 
• Africa’s confirmed cases now number 432,778; fatalities are 10,643. Egypt has 71,299 reported cases, Nigeria 17,110 and Ghana 18,134.
• SA now has 168,061 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,844 deaths. This is an increase of 8,728 new cases – the highest daily increase on record; 81,999 people have recovered from the virus. The Western Cape has the highest number of confirmed cases at 65,841 (accounting for 39% of the total); 1,925 deaths have been reported. Gauteng has 49,937 cases (accounting for 30% of the total) and 282 deaths, while the Eastern Cape has 30,603 cases (accounting for 18% of the total) and 451 deaths. KwaZulu-Natal has 11,669 cases and 152 deaths.1,706,127 tests have been conducted since 5 March; 39,188 were in the past 24 hours.