JOHANNESBURG (AP) –
South Africa has announced that a new variant of the COVID-19 virus is driving the current resurgence of the disease in the country, which is registering a higher number of confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
The new variant, known as 501.V2, it is dominant among new confirmed infections in South Africa, according to health officials and scientists leading the country’s antivirus strategy.
“It is still very early, but at this stage, preliminary data suggest that the virus that now dominates the second wave is spreading faster than the first wave,” said Professor Salim Abdool Karim, chairman of the ministerial advisory committee of the government. briefing to journalists.
South Africa may see “many more cases” in the new wave than it experienced in the first wave of the disease, Abdool Karim said.
South Africa currently has more than 8,500 people hospitalized with COVID-19, surpassing the previous high of 8,300 recorded in August.
“We are seeing a much earlier and much stronger increase in the second wave or resurgence than we expected,” Professor Ian Sanne, a member of the advisory committee, told News24 South Africa.
The new strain, different from that of Britain, appears to be more infectious than the original virus. South African scientists are studying whether COVID-19 vaccines will also offer protection against the new strain.
Some of the vaccines, including one developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, are undergoing clinical trials in South Africa.
Scientists studying the new variant stressed that preventative measures such as wearing masks and social distancing are vital.
In response to the resurgence of COVID-19, the South African government has introduced tougher blocking restrictions that include limited days and hours for alcohol trade and beach closures in areas identified as hot spots.
The continued average of 7 days of new cases in South Africa has doubled in the last two weeks, from 6.47 new cases per 100,000 people on December 6 to 14.68 new cases per 100,000 people on December 20. of December. increased with the rotating seven-day average of daily deaths in South Africa from 0.18 deaths per 100,000 people on 6 December to 0.34 deaths per 100,000 people on 20 December.
The country has recorded a total of 912, 477 cases, including 24,539 deaths.
Abdool Karim and other experts have expressed concern that more people may become infected during the holiday season as many people travel and visit family members.