NATIONAL NEWS - Another inmate has died after contracting Covid-19 as the Department of Correctional Services’ total number of Covid-19 cases climbed to 719 on Sunday.
Departmental spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said a 50-year-old inmate from the East London prison died and was confirmed to be coronavirus related, with respiratory failure cited as a cause of death.
This brings the total number of deaths related to Covid-19 in the department to five.
East London prison was marked as the department’s Covid-19 hotspot with 413 inmates testing positive for the virus.
Nxumalo said 249 officials and 473 inmates have contracted the virus thus far.
Of the new cases, Nxumalo said Western Cape recorded nine additional cases of officials whilst Eastern Cape recorded one additional official.
On Thursday, the department confirmed 700 cases.
This means the total jumped with 19 cases in three days recorded only in the two provinces, while recoveries stood at 143.
The total provincial breakdown was as follows:
– Eastern Cape: officials 76; inmates 413; recoveries 72
– Western Cape: officials 155; inmates 51; recoveries 59
– Limpopo: officials 2; recovery 1
– Gauteng: officials 7; inmates 9; recovery 10
– Northern Cape: official 2
– Free State: official 1
– KwaZulu-Natal: officials 2
– Department’s head office: official 1; recovery 1
