South African Variant

A South African laboratory study using Covid-19 samples from an immunosupressed individual over six months showed that the virus evolved to become more pathogenic, indicating that a new variant could cause more illness.

Lions and pumas at a zoo in South African capital of Pretoria got severe Covid-19 from asymptomatic zoo handlers, raising concerns that new variants could emerge from animal reservoirs of the disease, studies carried out by a local university showed.

A preliminary South African government study published Thursday showed a booster of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine was 85 percent effective in preventing hospitalization from the Omicron variant, a finding that helps revive the shot's reputatio

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla has said that the country can manage the fourth wave of infections driven by the Omicron variant without imposing stringent restrictions, as he urged citizens to follow the protocols and get fully vaccinated.

A preliminary study by South African scientists published Thursday suggests the Omicron variant is three times more likely to cause reinfections compared to the Delta or Beta strains.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday warned against the risk of "health apartheid" as he took aim at travel bans imposed on his country after it detected the new Omicron variant of Covid.

People infected with earlier variants of Covid do not appear to be protected against Omicron, although vaccination will still prevent serious illness, a top South African scientist said Thursday.

Leading South African scientists warned it is still too early to determine that the omicron variant will only cause mild illness.

The Omicron variant has been detected in five out of nine South African provinces and accounted for 74% of the virus genomes sequenced in November, data from the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) showed on Wednesday.

The Omicron coronavirus variant detected in southern Africa could be the most likely candidate to displace the highly contagious Delta variant, the director of South Africa's communicable disease institute said on Tuesday.

On Friday Nov. 19, Raquel Viana, Head of Science at one of South Africa's biggest private testing labs, sequenced the genes on eight coronavirus samples - and got the shock of her life.

As Africa grapples with new coronavirus variant Omicron, India on Monday said it stands ready to support the affected countries in the continent including by supplying vaccines, life-saving drugs and test kits.

Dutch health authorities said Monday they have found another case of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant among passengers arriving from South Africa, bringing the total to 14.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that authorities were considering making COVID-19 shots compulsory for certain places and activities, as a rise in infections linked to a new variant threatens to become a fourth wave.

Botswana, the only African country outside South Africa to have reported Omicron cases, said Sunday it had detected 19 infections of the new Covid variant, including the first four declared last week.

A South African laboratory study using Covid-19 samples from an immunosupressed individual over six months showed that the virus evolved to become more pathogenic, indicating that a new variant could cause more illness.

Lions and pumas at a zoo in South African capital of Pretoria got severe Covid-19 from asymptomatic zoo handlers, raising concerns that new variants could emerge from animal reservoirs of the disease, studies carried out by a local university showed.

A preliminary South African government study published Thursday showed a booster of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine was 85 percent effective in preventing hospitalization from the Omicron variant, a finding that helps revive the shot's reputatio

South African Health Minister Joe Phaahla has said that the country can manage the fourth wave of infections driven by the Omicron variant without imposing stringent restrictions, as he urged citizens to follow the protocols and get fully vaccinated.

A preliminary study by South African scientists published Thursday suggests the Omicron variant is three times more likely to cause reinfections compared to the Delta or Beta strains.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Thursday warned against the risk of "health apartheid" as he took aim at travel bans imposed on his country after it detected the new Omicron variant of Covid.

People infected with earlier variants of Covid do not appear to be protected against Omicron, although vaccination will still prevent serious illness, a top South African scientist said Thursday.

Leading South African scientists warned it is still too early to determine that the omicron variant will only cause mild illness.

The Omicron variant has been detected in five out of nine South African provinces and accounted for 74% of the virus genomes sequenced in November, data from the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) showed on Wednesday.

The Omicron coronavirus variant detected in southern Africa could be the most likely candidate to displace the highly contagious Delta variant, the director of South Africa's communicable disease institute said on Tuesday.

On Friday Nov. 19, Raquel Viana, Head of Science at one of South Africa's biggest private testing labs, sequenced the genes on eight coronavirus samples - and got the shock of her life.

As Africa grapples with new coronavirus variant Omicron, India on Monday said it stands ready to support the affected countries in the continent including by supplying vaccines, life-saving drugs and test kits.

Dutch health authorities said Monday they have found another case of the new Omicron Covid-19 variant among passengers arriving from South Africa, bringing the total to 14.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that authorities were considering making COVID-19 shots compulsory for certain places and activities, as a rise in infections linked to a new variant threatens to become a fourth wave.

Botswana, the only African country outside South Africa to have reported Omicron cases, said Sunday it had detected 19 infections of the new Covid variant, including the first four declared last week.