SA MARKS 500 DAYS SINCE NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN| 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE JABBED

The country's coastal provinces remain a major concern - as the Western Cape, Northern and Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal continue to see a rise in new infections.

Professional healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) attend to a patient inside the temporary ward dedicated to the treatment of possible COVID-19 coronavirus patients at Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria on 11 January 2021. Picture: Phill Magakoe/AFP

Lizell Persens 

CAPE TOWN - As the nation marks 500 days since the start of its nationwide lockdown - more than 3.5 million South Africans are fully vaccinated.

Health authorities are currently dealing with over 158, 000 active cases.

The country's coastal provinces remain a major concern - as the Western Cape, Northern and Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal continue to see a rise in new infections.

It's been a tumultuous 500 days since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic here in South Africa.

However, the nation's mass vaccination drive continues to gain momentum with over 3.5 million citizens fully jabbed so far.

The Western Cape is the current epicentre of the COVID-19 third wave with 38,000 active cases.

Authorities are warning citizens to continue adhering to the health and safety protocols, to limit their liquor intake -- especially over the long weekend -- and hereby ensure hospitals are not overburdened.

Meanwhile, KZN accounts for the second-highest active caseload - with 34,000 infections.

Other coastal provinces such as the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape are also being closely monitored.