Nation-wide tests in South Africa show that since mid-November over 70 percent of the country’s newly reported COVID-19 cases have been identified as the Omicron variant as the virus continues to rapidly spread, experts say.
Over the past two weeks, South Africa has reported an increase in new daily positive COVID-19 cases, the majority being the Omicron variant. So far, experts say the Omicron cases reported have been less severe and people have been able to manage their symptoms at home.
Doctors are saying, so far, fewer people require hospitalization with the new variant. Death rates in South Africa for COVID-19 haven’t increased yet, but experts warn that could change in the next few weeks.
According to Johns Hopkins University, in South Africa from November 28 to December 13, there was an increase from 7.6 to 32.7 new cases reported per 100,000 people.
Because of the uptick in COVID-19 infections, South Africa’s regulatory authority allowed last week for the third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be used as a booster shot for adults.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was scheduled to get the new booster shot but had to delay after he tested positive for COVID-19 Sunday, his office said Monday.
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“The president’s infection is causing him to delay a vaccine booster shot which he was scheduled to receive this week,” his office said in a statement issued Monday.
Ramaphosa “reiterates his call to everyone in the country to be vaccinated, as vaccination dramatically reduces the chances of serious illness, hospitalization or death,” the statement said.
News that Ramaphosa has contracted COVID-19 has sparked different reactions from citizens, with some saying they hope it will encourage more people to get vaccinated.
Moreen Mokhethi, 60, a resident of Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, said she hopes that the president testing positive for COVID-19 will convince people to be more careful about contracting the virus.
“My worry is that a lot of people, like in Tembisa where I live, seem not be scared of the virus anymore. There are many weddings and events now because it is the festive season, so it (the virus) might spread some more,” said Mokhethi.
Robert Matlala, 28, who said he was fully vaccinated, said he hoped Ramaphosa contracting COVID-19 would encourage more people to get vaccinated.
“I hope some people who are not taking this thing seriously will see that anyone can get it. I recently got my second shot, so I feel a little bit safer,” said Matlala.
South African health experts agree that vaccinations are important in battling the new wave driven by Omicron.
“Everything we know points to what the president experienced—when you get it (COVID-19) when vaccinated, it tends to be much less serious,” said Francois Venter, infectious diseases professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa, 69, ended his four-nation tour of West Africa last week, returning from Senegal on December 8 when he tested negative. He tested negative throughout the African tour, but some members of his delegation had to return back home after testing positive for the virus in Nigeria.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa was not feeling well and tested positive, his office announced.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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