Latest News & Developments
The sub-variant was first reported in India, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan.
With the rise of new variants, the symptoms of Covid have also evolved.
At least 16 countries have reported about 700 cases of BA. 4, while more than 300 cases of BA. 5 have been found across at least 17 countries.
Omicron was first detected by South African scientists in November last year.
While we don’t know a lot about it yet, what we do know doesn’t suggest there’s cause for serious concern.
The recombinant virus, BA. 1 x AY. 4, unofficially and unscientifically referred to as ‘Deltacron’, has not been declared a variant of concern and has not been detected in South Africa.
The national Batho Pele Excellence Awards has awarded the Silver Award in the Best Doctor of the Year category to Dr Barry Smith.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that some restrictions were being relaxed this week, South Africans are urged to observe the regulations that are in place.
This new variant known as Deltacron is a mixture of the Omicron and Delta variants and has appeared in South Africa.
It’s not unusual for viruses to mix and match parts of themselves if two viruses infect one cell, writes Luke O'Neill.
Scientific researchers have proved that ’Deltacron’, a hybrid form of the two variants, has emerged and that the global anti-pandemic efforts cannot be eased.
A study revealed that successive variants of concern such as Beta and Delta had mutated faster than earlier variants, noting differences of months to weeks.
Discovery delivered a robust performance in the six months to December 31, 2021 as it pursued a dual strategy of navigating the pandemic and working on growth, while paying out R3. 4 billion in Covid-19 claims.
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said he has written to President Cyril Ramaphosa to scrap the Covid-19 capacity regulations to aid economic recovery
The key to preventing transmission is to understand how airborne particles behave, say experts.
Dr Kataria warned that people need to be cautious.
France announced an easing of Covid restrictions from Monday and Britain's health minister said curbs were an absolute last resort, as governments face tough choices between controlling the virus and keeping economies open.
There is a mixed bag of news for the Western Cape on the Covid-19 front as the province continues to witness high case numbers, driven by the Omicron variant, but is also anticipating a plateauing of cases in the fourth wave.
Studies how that around 70% of South Africans are estimated to have been exposed to the virus, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said, noting an under-reporting of antigen tests.
In a series of tweets, Gates said that he has cancelled most of his holiday plans as his close friends are increasingly being infected with the Covid-19 virus.
The new variant may be on the rise, but Delta remains a risk for travellers.
WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan added it would be ’unwise’ to conclude from early evidence that Omicron was a milder variant that previous ones.
The World Health Organization has emphasized an urgent scale-up of public health and social measures to curtail the further spread of the Omicron variant.
It has been almost two years of Covid-19 and lockdowns. South Africans have experienced three waves so far and is currently in the throes of a fourth wave of infections.
The health minister said scientists were conducting more studies on the variant after it emerged that the majority of those who were admitted to hospital had not been vaccinated.