South Africa is on high alert following an increase in new COVID-19 infections after weeks of reporting lulls since the peak of the fourth wave in December 2021.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, the provinces of Gauteng and Free State reported an increase in weekly incidence risk last week, suggesting that a new wave may be on the horizon.

Gauteng recorded a 14.9 percent increase while Free State registered a 4.3 percent increase.

With a total of 1,238,825 COVID-19 infections, Gauteng Province accounts for 32.8 percent of South Africa's total cases recorded.

The total number of cases recorded by Gauteng alone surpasses individual national tallies registered by all other African countries.

So far, South Africa, which is the hardest-hit country by COVID-19 in Africa, has reported 3,780,444 infections with 100,355 fatalities.

The NICD has urged those who are yet to get vaccinated to do so and those who are eligible for booster doses to take them.

A total of 34,806,757 doses have been administered across the country so far.