Another 8 166 new Covid-19 cases have been reported in South Africa.

This after Health Minister Zweli Mkhize raised the alarm that the pandemic was in its second wave.

"Today, we wish to reiterate our plea to South Africans to heed the threat of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases identified. There is clear evidence of an exponential rise in transmission and this is cause for serious concern," he said on Thursday.

On Wednesday night, Mkhize appeared in a special live televised broadcast saying the country had breached the 6 000 mark in a day.

This was mainly attributed to complacency, and a rise in cases among the more mobile 15 to 19 age group as well as large events.

On Thursday, another 173 people were recorded to have died of Covid-19-related illnesses, with the Eastern Cape bearing the brunt with 90 dead.

In the Western Cape, 52 people died, in the Free State 13, in Gauteng eight and KwaZulu-Natal 10.

A total of 22 747 people have died of illnesses linked to the virus.

Since the last report, 45 207 tests were conducted.

The health department said recoveries now stood at 756 671 out of 836 764 cases.