About a third of all adults in South Africa have received at least one Covid-19 vaccination dose.

According to the Department of Health, 19 041 535 vaccines have been administered to 13 466 483 people - 33% of the total adult population.

To date, 9 911 989 people are fully vaccinated (25% of the adult population).

More than a 1.1-million people received their vaccines over the last week, the department said.

The Western Cape is leading the vaccination drive, with almost 43% of the adult population in the province having received at least one dose. In the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, almost 39% of the adult population received at least one jab. In the Free State, the percentage stands at 38%.

More than 60% of those aged 60 and older have received at least one jab, while 52% of those aged 50 to 59 have received at least one dose. People in these age cohorts face an increased risk of developing severe illnesses, hospitalisation and death.

Information which the Western Cape health department released last week claimed that people older than 50 are 7.5 times more at risk of dying. According to the statistics, age is the biggest risk factor – even more so than comorbidities, such as kidney disease, HIV and diabetes.

The government aims to vaccinate 70% of all adults by the end of December.

South Africans have been urged to get their first vaccination doses before 20 October, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated by the start of the festive season.