COVID 19: Lindiwe Zulu Tests Positive, Omicron Cases Rise

• Lindiwe Zulu has annoucned that she tested positive for Covid-19, after an incessantly sore throat motivated her to get tested
• The minister credits being fully vaccinated to her mild experience of Covid-19 and the low number of symptoms she has
• Poland will impose a 17-day travel ban on southern African countries starting on 1 December 2021

Lindiwe Zulu, the Minister of Social Development, has announced that she has tested positive for Covid-19. She went for a viral swab test on Sunday (28 Nov) after she started experiencing a sore throat.

Zulu says she does not feel that her health is badly affected by the virus, which she attributes to being fully vaccinated. She is self-isolating and will work from home.

The minister used the opportunity to encourage her fellow South Africans to get vaccinated so that the fourth wave is not as severe as the previous three, TimesLIVE reports.

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New Omicron cases internationally

Canada and the Netherlands have reported confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in passengers. Canada has two cases and the Netherlands has 14 cases. Although it is not clear at present if Canada's cases contracted the variant in southern Africa.

Following reports of increasing numbers of people being infected with the Omicron variant, Poland has decided to institute a travel ban on southern African countries from 1 to 17 December 2021.

According to News24, Adam Niedzielski, Poland's health minister, said that the variant and emerging mutations threaten the health of Polish citizens, which is why the country is making a move to protect them.

Reactions to Lindiwe Zulu testing positive for Covid-19

@AneleMadondo2 said:

"Fully vaccinated she probably has mild symptoms may she get well soon."

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@IAm_Gunnz believes:

"They will claim it could have been worse if she wasn't vaccinated."

@MissKanyane shared:

"Vaccine does not prevent COVID, it prepares your body to fight COVID if you have contacted it."

@SihleNxumz said:

"Then after this Minister they going to pay a famous personality to “test positive”. Promo team is working overtime."

@iGodfrey4CE believes:

"It’s impossible, she’s vaccinated, and she wears a mask."

South Africans do not want another Covid-19 lockdown

Yesterday Briefly News reported that after the local government elections, which saw thousands of people contravening the Covid 19 disaster regulations, South Africans are wary of another lockdown.

If the government goes ahead with plans for further restrictions they risk a strong public backlash.

Business for SA chair Martin Kingston has warned President Cyril Ramaphosa not to implement any measures that could further harm the economy.

Source: Briefly News