The country recorded 356 new cases of Covid-19 infections and 17 deaths, bringing the death toll to 89 452 on Thursday.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the country's total number of recorded cases now stands at 2 924 978.

"The NICD … reports that 356 new Covid-19 cases have been identified in South Africa, representing a 1.1% positivity rate," the statement said.

According to the Department of Health, 136 550 vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. To date, 13 215 874 adults have been fully vaccinated, and 252 934 children have received one dose of vaccine.

Gauteng is the most impacted, with 920 406 cases in total, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 516 113 and Western Cape with 514 087.

Most new cases are from Gauteng (34%), followed by KwaZulu-Natal, which accounted for 19%. Western Cape accounted for 12%; Northern 11%; Free State 9%; North West 5%; Limpopo and Mpumalanga each 4%; and Eastern Cape 3% of new cases.

There has been an increase of 41 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours, with 3 636 people currently admitted to public and private hospitals. 

South Africa has conducted 18 835 534 tests, of which 33 302 have been carried out in the last 24 hours.