South Africa warns of entering 5th Covid-19 wave – Hindustan Times

The country that has recorded the most coronavirus cases and deaths on the African continent only exited a fourth wave around January and had predicted a fifth wave could start in May or June.

South Africa may be entering a fifth COVID wave earlier than expected after a sustained rise in infections over the past 14 days that seems to be driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants, health officials and scientists said on Friday.

The country that has recorded the most coronavirus cases and deaths on the African continent only exited a fourth wave around January and had predicted a fifth wave could start in May or June, early in the southern hemisphere winter.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla told a briefing that although hospitalisations were picking up there was so far no dramatic change in admissions to intensive care units or deaths.

Also read: New omicron sub-lineages likely to evade vaccines, natural immunity: Scientists

He said at this stage health authorities had not been alerted to any new variant, other than changes to the dominant one circulating, Omicron.

Infectious disease specialist Richard Lessells told the same briefing that waning immunity from previous waves could be contributing to the earlier-than-expected resurgence in cases.

He said the rising share of infections attributed to the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of Omicron suggested they had a growth advantage over other Omicron sub-variants like BA.2.

But so far there was no sign that BA.4 and BA.5 were causing significantly more severe disease, said Waasila Jassat from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

South Africa has reported more than 3.7 million COVID cases and over 100,000 deaths during the pandemic. On Thursday, the WHO’s Africa office flagged the rise in South Africa’s infections as the main driver of an uptick on the African continent.

Also read: Global weekly Covid cases dropped by 21%: WHO in latest report- 10 points

Senior health official Nicholas Crisp also said on Friday that the country had enough vaccine doses and was not planning to procure more. He added the government was not intending to buy Pfizer’s COVID treatment pill Paxlovid for public sector patients, partly because it was very expensive.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON

Close Story

Less time to read?

Try Quickreads

Partial Solar Eclipse 2022: What is it and how to watch it

There will be a partial Solar Eclipse on Saturday, which will first of the year of 2022. It will be visible from from the south and south-western parts of South America, Pacific and Atlantic oceans and most of the land mass of Antartica. However, badluck for the skygazers of India and the United States as it will not be visible in both of these countries.
Sri Lanka economic crisis: Gotabaya agrees to drop brother as PM

Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to drop his older brother as Prime Minister in a proposed interim government to solve a political impasse caused by the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, a prominent lawmaker said on Friday, as a fresh surge in inflation threatened to renew calls for the family to resign. Rajapaksa will also discuss the matter with other parties, lawmaker Weerasumana Weerasingha said, without elaborating.
What China’s energy giants expect from Russia’s war and Covid

The world’s biggest energy consumer is being buffeted both inside its borders and out. China’s worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the pandemic began is slashing demand for fuel as cities lock down to slow its spread. China’s largest energy firms, many of them state-owned, are being forced to deal with the fallout from both crises. Sinopec China’s top oil refiner said fuel demand has fallen as cities tell their residents to stay home.
Imran Khan to write letters to CJP asking for progress on US probe

Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan has decided to write letters to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and President Arif Alvi to ask about the progress on investigations into a letter from United States (US) highlighting ‘conspiracy’ against his government, Ary News reported.
Russia offers dual-payment plan for oil, other trade with India: Report

Russia has offered India a dual-payment mechanism to allow more trade in local currencies as pressure mounts on the sanction-hit nation over its war in Ukraine, according to people with knowledge of the matter. No final decision has been taken yet. India further wants to boost shipments to Russia by an additional $2 billion to narrow the trade imbalance.