South Africa records 3,267 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

South Africa, on Thursday, recorded 3,267 new cases of the novel coronavirus cases in 24 hours, the biggest jump since the pandemic hit the country.

Africa’s biggest industrial power now has a total of 40,792 infections, the health ministry said. It saw a rise of 56 deaths for a total of 848 fatalities.

More than half of the cases are in the Western Cape region where health services are under pressure.

South Africa is the sub-Saharan African country hardest hit by the pandemic.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 27 ordered South Africans to observe a lockdown aimed at slowing the disease’s spread.

The move sharply limited people’s freedom of movement while slowing an economy already in recession.

But Ramaphosa has gradually eased the lockdown measures and allowed most of the economy to restart.