Positive cases in South Africa rose by 385 yesterday, bringing the total to 6 336. There were seven more deaths, with fatalities now totalling 123.
Health minister Zweli Mhkize said hypertension, diabetes and cardiac disease were among the most common co-morbidities associated with serious Covid-19 cases in the country.
The rise in positive cases coincides with the highest number of tests in a 24-hour cycle of 13 164. So far, 230 686 South Africans have been tested.
Abroad, more than 65 000 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Both France and Italy recorded fewer than 200 deaths in a 24-hour period. Italy recorded just 192 deaths in the past 24 hours, the lowest daily rise since 14 March.
France has reported similarly low figures. The national death toll in hospital and care homes increased by 166, to a total of 24 760. This is a significant drop from the 218 deaths recorded on Friday.
There are still close to 26 000 people in hospital with Covid-19 in France but that figure has been going down for more than two weeks.
In Britain, too, where fatalities stand at 28 131, the death rate is slowing.
More than 240 000 people have died of the new coronavirus worldwide with over 85 percent of the deaths in Europe and the United States, according to AFP. There have been some 3 371 400 global cases since the virus emerged in China in December. Europe is the worst-hit continent, accounting for 141 475 deaths.
The United States has the highest number of deaths at 65 173, followed by Italy (28 236), Britain (28 131), Spain (25 100) and France (24 760).
Russia reported a jump in new infections of 9 623 to 124 054 cases, and a toll of 1 222.