COVID-19: Delta Variant Overtaking Other Strains of the Virus in South Africa
- The Delta variant of Covid-19 is sweeping across South Africa and overtaking other strains of the virus in the number of infections
- The strain first found in India is more transmissible is driving the third wave of Covid-19 in South Africa
- South Africans are concerned that the third wave could result in tighter restrictions to slow the spread of the virus
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The new Delta variant of Covid-19 is beginning to overtake other strains of the virus in South Africa. The variant was first discovered in India and has since swept across the globe proving to be more contagious than previous versions.
South Africa is the worst affected country on the African continent with approximately a third of all infections and more than 40% of deaths according to Reuters.
Source: UGC
The second wave of the virus was mostly driven by the Beta variant while the third wave is being accelerated by the Delta variant.
New restrictions possibly on the cards to slow down third wave
President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation on Sunday evening and many predicting that tougher restrictions will be introduced.
“A new variant seems to be not only arising, but it seems to start dominating the infections in South Africa,” Professor Tulio de Oliveira at the University of KwaZulu-Natal told a news conference.
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Rising infections a cause of concern
On Saturday the country recorded over 18 000 new infections, the highest daily figure since the last peak in January. This brings the total number of new cases to almost two million and almost 60 000 deaths according to Medical Express.
"We are in the exponential phase of the pandemic with the numbers just growing very, very, extremely fast and (they) will keep growing in the next weeks," Tulio de Oliveira said.
Acting Health Minister says the surge in Covid-19 cases in Gauteng
Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane said on Friday that the increase of Covid-19 cases in Gauteng will "inevitably" spread to the rest of the country.
Kubayi-Ngubane spoke at an early morning briefing alongside Department of Health officials and scientist Professor Barry Schoub to give an update on Covid-19 rise in infections as well as the government's vaccine rollout programme.
"Other provinces should not have a sense of complacency. The numbers are a demonstration of an upward trajectory, and it's inevitable that Gauteng's cases will spill over into rest of country," Kubayi-Ngubane said.
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Source: Briefly News
