Over 3k New Covid19 Cases Recorded in SA, Gauteng Records the Highest Number of Cases With KZN Second

• More than 3 000 new Covid-19 cases have been recorded in South Africa and the test positivity rate stands at 22%
• The South African Medical Research Council said there are warning signs of a fifth Covid-19 wave
• SAMRC said it's too early to notice an increase in the death rate and too early to tell the severity of the fifth wave

JOHANNESBURG - Over 3 000 Covid-19 cases have been detected in South Africa, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). The country’s also recorded a 22% rate of positive Covid-19 cases on Sunday 1 May.

The number of laboratory-confirmed cases also increased to over three million with most being detected in Gauteng. The institution noted 44 hospital admissions over the past 24 hours.

The South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) Dr Fareed Abdullah said there are warning signs of a fifth Covid-19 wave, however, it is still too early to declare a new wave. Eyewitness News reports since February cases were declining however the new sub-variant of Omicron has created an increase in infections. Abdullah said that it is too early to notice an increase in the death rate. He added that it is too early to tell the severity of the fifth wave.

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Minister of Health Joe Phaahla said that there has been a continuous rise in infections recently with new cases found in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. According to News24 the provinces made up 85% of newly recorded cases.

Social media users not happy with the rise

@sportsboks commented:

“And your point is. Find something else to report about we are sick and tired of Covid. Even if we have 6 million more waves let it be it's just another cold now like we have every year. Report on something positive for a change please.”

@Emma_Tsebe posted:

“Spikes or no spikes, we will never allow lockdowns from government, it’s our lives after all.”

@bizjetboy added:

“No one cares.”

South Africans have no interest in Covid19 despite 5th wave looming, vaccine rate at a record low

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Briefly News also reported a new Covid-19 wave is headed for South African shores, however, talk around the deadly virus has stopped and vaccination rates have dropped substantially. With the fifth wave looming, scientists have predicted that the infections will be less deadly.

Despite efforts by health officials who warn that the pandemic is not over, South Africans are refusing to take heed. The department of health’s initial target to have 67% of the population vaccinated seems unattainable.

Business Insider reported that the current vaccination rate is lower than at the early stage of the pandemic when only people aged 60 and over were allowed to be vaccinated. The country’s wastewater also detected the presence of Covid-19, which is a stronger indicator of the fifth wave.

Source: Briefly News