Health minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has increased to 709 cases over night.

There was an increase of 155 cases in a day up from 554 from Tuesday.

Speaking to the SABC on Wednesday morning, Mkhize said the most increases were in Gauteng where there are 64 new cases.

The Western Cape recorded 61 confirmed cases while KZN had 11 new cases.

“We are expecting quite an increase. We are still in very early days,” Mkhize said.

He said the 15 new cases in the Free State was concerning for him because it was all linked to a church in Mangaung.

South Africa has seen a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, with the total now at 709 – up 155 from Tuesday’s report.

The large jump comes after at least 50 new positive coronavirus cases have been registered from a church in the Free State, health minister Zweli Mkhize said in an interview with the SABC.

On Tuesday, Mkhize said that the number of South African cases are expected to increase over the next week, with a change in cases hopefully being seen in the next two to three weeks as the effects of the lockdown are seen.

“We must not be shocked when we the number (of cases) increase, but these measures – if we all work together – will turn the curve around. It won’t happen tomorrow, it won’t happen next week, and if there is any change it will will probably be seen in a couple of weeks,” said Mkhize.