South Africa’s wave of omicron cases appears to be subsiding as quickly as it grew in weeks after the country announced to the world, that the new coronavirus variant was identified.
South Africa’s top infectious-disease scientist, who has been at the helms of leading the country’s pandemic response, said on Wednesday, that the country has rapidly passed the peak of new omicron cases – judging by preliminary evidence.
“If previous variants caused waves shaped like Kilimanjaro, omicron’s is more like we were scaling the North Face of Everest,” Salim Abdool Karim said in an interview.
In addressing the surge of infections, South Africa decided not to impose a lockdown or major restrictions, although many countries, including the United States, imposed restrictions on travellers originating in South Africa and neighbouring countries.
Recent study, suggests as well, that there is less risk of hospital admissions caused by the omicron variant. The new study, which has not been peer-reviewed, was to assess the severity of disease by comparing data on Omicron infections in October, November with data on delta infections from April to November, all in South Africa.
Sources: IOL, Business Day
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