"As of today, the cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in South Africa is 159 333 with 8 124 new cases reported," health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement on Wednesday. 

Case data shows the Western Cape has the highest number of infections, 64 377, followed by Gauteng with 45 944, the Eastern Cape, 29 340 and KwaZulu-Natal with 10 632. 

North West has 4 393 confirmed cases, Free State has 1 672, Mpumalanga has 1 306, while Limpopo has 1 175 and Northern Cape, 494.

To date 1 666 939 tests have been completed in total of which 36 931 new tests are reported. The private sector has conducted 868 116 or 52 percent of these and the public sector, 798 823 (48 percent).

"Regrettably, we report a further 92 Covid-19 related deaths - 17 from Eastern Cape, 28 from Gauteng, 10 from KwaZulu-Natal and 37 from Western Cape. This brings the total deaths to 2749," the statement said.

"We wish to express our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased."

While the mortality rate is 1.7 percent, the number of recoveries is 76 025, which translates to a recovery rate of 47.7 percent.

The provinces with the highest numbers of deaths are Eastern Cape 439, Gauteng 244, KwaZulu Natal 136  and Western Cape 1 896.