South Africa's COVID-19 infections have surpassed the 500,000 mark as the country continues to see a steady rise in new cases.

Latest figures published by the Department of Health show that the country has registered 503,290 cases and 8,153 deaths, far more than any other African country has reported.

The figures mean the country has reported 54.1 percent of the continent's cases and 41.4 percent of its deaths.

The Department of Health says South Africa has conducted some 3,001 985 tests.

The Gauteng Province is the worst hit by the pandemic in South Africa, having registered 178,119 cases, representing 35.4 percent of the country's infections.

On a brighter side however, South Africa's number of recoveries currently stands at 342,461 which translates to a recovery rate of 68%.

Globally, South Africa ranks fifth in the number of COVID-19 cases, only shadowed by the United States, Brazil, India and Russia.

South Africa was among the first African countries to report a case of COVID-19 as its first patient tested positive for the virus on 5 March.

Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize on Friday said the country would not relax in its fight against the "unprecedented global health crisis."

"We have mobilized support from medical experts who advise on protocols to put in place for containment, to control cluster outbreaks and to guide day to day management," said Mkhize at a National COVID-19 Conference.