The cumulative number of detected COVID-19 cases in South Africa was at 668,529 on Friday – with 1,480 new cases identified in the latest 24-hour cycle.

According to the statement released by the national department of health on Friday evening, 29 more deaths were reported – this brought the number of total COVID-19 related fatalities to 16,312.

The highest number of deaths was recorded in the Northern Cape, at eight fatalities; there were five deaths in Gauteng, five in KwaZulu-Natal, five from the Gauteng, four from the Western Cape and another two from Limpopo.

Recoveries now stood at 89.6%, with 599,149 people having recovered after contracting the virus.

To date, the overall number of COVID-19 tests conducted amount to 4,117,079 – with 14,917 more tests conducted since the last report. Of those 6,628 tests were done in the private sector and 8,289 in the public sector.