Covid-19 round-up: Increase in mild infections for vaccinated people, likely
Professor Shabir Madhi says the mutations identified will become relatively resistant to anti-body activity induced from past infection and vaccination.
With little known about the new Omicron, Covid-19 variant, Professor Shabir Madhi says it is likely to cause an increase in mild infections in vaccinated people.
Madhi, in an interview with MyHealth360, said the Omicron variant is currently the dominant variant in Gauteng and is disseminating widely. “It has been identified in other provinces and in up to 15 other countries,” he said.
Vaccine effectiveness against Omicron
With uncertainty surrounding the vaccine’s effectiveness against the Omicron variant, Madhi says firm evidence should be received in the next four to five weeks.
“I believe that we are going to see that vaccines and past infections are not going to perform too well in preventing re-infection and we will see a breakthrough in new infections, in large numbers, in those who have been vaccinated,” he said.
Madhi added that the mutations identified will become relatively resistant to anti-body activity induced from past infection and vaccination. “When it comes to mild infections, we are going to see a large number of cases,” he said.
Increase in figures
As the country enters its fourth wave of infections, South Africa’s daily Covid-19 stats doubled on Thursday, from the previous day with 8,561 new cases reported. On Wednesday, that number was almost halved at 4 373, and government have since urged unvaccinated people to get the jab.
Rage Festivals cancelled
Both the Ballito and Plettenberg Bay Rage Festivals were cancelled this week due to positive Covid-19 tests.
The Ballito Rage Festival was cancelled on Wednesday due to 32 guests and 4 staff testing positive for Covid-19 and calls continued for its sister event in Plettenberg Bay to follow suit, with concerns over its potential of being a super-spreader event.
Organisers of the Plett Rage Festival cancelled the event on Thursday, saying the alarming number of positive cases reported by customers shook them to their core
The Plett festival was scheduled to start today and continue through to next Tuesday.
“Almost all schools set to attend Plett Rage have positive cases. Based on the trajectory of this virus, this is only a tiny percentage of what we are now certain will show up. The numbers are only going to increase rapidly. Although we, as organisers, have implemented the most stringent COVID-19 preventive measures, there was no way to preempt the devastation that the current surge of COVID-19 cases nationally would cause,” a statement read.
Daily stats
As of December 2, there were 11 535 new Covid-19 cases identified in South Africa, which brings the total number of positive cases to 2 988 148.
With a further 44 Covid-19 related deaths recorded, the total number of deaths was at 89 915. Recoveries stood at 2 850 905.
A total of 26 109 436 vaccines have been administered.
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