Saturday | November 27, 2021
South Africa (SA) reported a new SARS-CoV-2 variant called “B.1.1.529” on Wednesday Nov. 24. The government has announced with concern the rising covid-19 cases around the country and advised all citizens to adhere to nonpharmaceutical measures to deal with the scourge.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has taken note of this variant (dubbed Omicron) with deep concern. It said it is closely monitoring the variant and its researchers are studying its severity and impact.
Although the B.1.1.529 variant was first reported by SA, its understood that it may have started in Botswana. It has been widely reported that there are high chances of its propensity to spread faster like the recent “delta” variant from India.
Consequently, United State and Europe in particular have triggered immediate bans against countries from the Southern hemisphere of Africa. These countries include among others: South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Malawi. To guard against getting caught in the Coivd-19 new variant, Newzroom Afrika reports that Turkey, Israel and Canada imposed travel restrictions too against these countries.
South Africa confirmed 2, 828 new Covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours taking the overall total to 2, 955 328. Again, 12 more deaths were reported rising the tally to 89, 783 since the global pandemic outbreak. The country further recorded a 9.1% posivity rate in contrast to the 6.5% reported previously.
Minister of Health in SA Dr Joe Phaahla signaled that the announcement of the new variant was done for the sake of transparency and caution. Further, he dispelled spurious notions that this new variant is more severe than the previous ones. However, he was prompt to intimate that at this stage scientists have not said whether the new strain will be more resistant to the vaccines in use.
Meanwhile WHO warned that the more Covid-19 variants linger and circulate, the higher the number of mutations. Practicing clean hygiene, ventilating closed spaces and vaccinating are key measures, it reminded peoples of the world.
On balance, South Africa has been lauded for robust scientific forages on the Corona virus front.
While Phaahla showed displeasure at foreign countries’ overblown reactions on the emerging variant, the (SA’) National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) brought its meeting forward to Saturday (instead of Sunday) as a result of these quick developments. South Africa is currently on “Level 1” lockdown restrictions.