South Africa on Saturday recorded more than 7,800 new cases of COVID-19, affirming fears that the country was dealing with a resurgence of the virus.

The last update from the National Health Department placed the country’s total case load at 852,965.

Gauteng accounts for more than a quarter of South Africa’s known infections, however were are serious concerns around the Eastern Cape, which recorded the more deaths than any other province.

Almost 5,400 people in that region have now succumbed to the virus – 97 of them in the past 24 hours alone.

Officials from the Health Department made several visits to the region, which is being plagued by an ailing health system compounded by overstretched staff, who are struggling to keep up with demand for adequate care.

The Health Department has also reported over 150 more people have died from COVID-19 in the past day – pushing the national death toll to 23,106.