• News
  • Sport
  • TV
  • Radio
  • Education
  • TV Licences
  • Contact Us
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION
No Result
View All Result
1
Home Sci-tech

New COVID-19 variant expected as SA heads for a fifth wave: Prof. Abdool Karim

11 April 2022, 9:23 PM  |
SABC SABC |  @SABCNews
A medical team member takes a swab sample from a woman to be tested for the coronavirus disease [File image]

A medical team member takes a swab sample from a woman to be tested for the coronavirus disease [File image]

Image: Reuters

A medical team member takes a swab sample from a woman to be tested for the coronavirus disease [File image]

Epidemiologist Professor Salim Abdool Karim says a new COVID-19 variant should be expected as the country heads for a fifth wave. This comes as Botswana’s Ministry of Health and Wellness announced the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant.

Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the end of the National State of Disaster.

Professor Karim says while it cannot be said with certainty, based on how the virus mutates, a new variant is highly likely.

“The WHO is naming the new variants based on the Greek alphabet. So we can expect that the next variant should be called PI. How is Pi going to look like? Well, we don’t know because it doesn’t exist yet. But we can expect Pi to actually exist and to spread faster than Omicron. So if it doesn’t spread faster than Omicron it won’t be able to displace Omicron. We know it will be a faster-spreading variant – in other words, it will infect more people more quickly.”

‘Next wave in May’

Professor Karim says while it’s difficult to predict the time frame for the next wave driven by the new variant, he expects it around May.

“When it comes to timing it’s very difficult, I think we have seen in SA that there’s a roughly 3 months gap between each of our waves. If that trend continues, we can expect to see the next variant and the next wave start somewhere in the half of May.

New Omicron BA.4, BA.5 variants detected in several countries including SA: Dr Richard Lessells

Meanwhile, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases on Monday has reported 553 new COVID-19 cases that have been identified in South Africa. This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases to 3 732 628.

 The increase represents a 5.0% positivity rate. The majority of new cases today are from Gauteng Province (50%), followed by Western Cape (18%).

The institute says due to the ongoing audit exercise by the National Department of Health (NDoH), there may be a backlog of COVID-19 mortality cases reported.

“Today, the NDoH reports two deaths, and of these, one occurred in the past 24 – 48 hours,“ says the institute in a statement.

This brings the total fatalities to 100 098 to date. Below are the latest coronavirus cases:

Loading...

Loading…

Share article
Tags: New COVID-19 variantFifth waveCoronavirusProfessor Salim Abdool KarimCOVID-19
Previous Post

Returning Wawrinka knocked out by Bublik in Monte Carlo opener

Next Post

Zuma’s corruption trial postponement not a surprise: Legal analyst

Related Posts

New born baby in hospital.

South Africa sees alarming spike in Fetal Alcohol Disorder rate

11 September 2023, 8:25 AM
Prof Bruce Mellado, chair of the local organising committee interacts with media ahead of the TIPP conference. The event brings together specialists from around the world to share best practice on Technology in Instrumentation and Particle Physics.

TIPP conference in Cape Town focusses on technological advancements

5 September 2023, 12:00 PM
FILE PHOTO - An internet cable is seen at a server room in this picture illustration taken in Warsaw January 24, 2012. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

INFOGRAPHIC: All you need to know about the SA undersea broken internet cables

18 August 2023, 7:21 PM
Logo of SiyaTutor, an AI-driven WhatsApp-based tutor chatbot designed to assist school learners in their educational journey.

WhatsApp combines AI in SiyaTutor for personalised learning

13 August 2023, 1:31 PM
FILE PHOTO: Twitter logo and a photo of Elon Musk are displayed through magnifier in this illustration taken October 27, 2022.

Elon Musk says Twitter’s blue bird to be replaced by an X

24 July 2023, 9:28 AM
Meta's Threads app and Twitter logos are seen in this illustration taken July 4, 2023.

Zuckerberg-Musk fights first round: Meta launches ‘Twitter Killer’ Threads app

6 July 2023, 7:29 AM
Next Post
[File Image]: Former President Jacob Zuma.

Zuma's corruption trial postponement not a surprise: Legal analyst

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • Concern over exclusion of foreign nationals from Road Accident Fund
  • Cashless taxi service launched in Cape Town
  • Visitors planning to visit the Overberg region urged to postpone their trips
  • ANC building up in flames in Port St Johns
  • Western Cape on high alert following severe storm warning
  • High waves and rough water conditions force beach closures in the Western Cape
  • Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi to rest in the town he built and nurtured
  • NSPCA files criminal case against Julius Malema for alleged animal cruelty
  • Snow, heavy rainfall expected in parts of KZN: SAWS
  • Cold-front sweeps across SA bringing snow and chilly temperatures
  • Several roads closed in the Western Cape amid flooding
  • Zoleka Mandela passes away
  • Residents resort to illegal water connections at Mpumalanga village
  • Six beaches in Durban flagged with high levels of E.coli
  • PODCAST | Consumers warned of expected poultry price hike

LATEST

Inside a Magistrates' Court
  • South Africa

Trial of nine accused in university of Fort Hare murder case resumes


  • South Africa

Eskom to prioritise electricity restoration in flood-ravaged Western and Eastern Cape


Flooding in the Western Cape following heavy rains.
  • South Africa

Rescue efforts to resume on Wednesday for learners trapped at Oudtshoorn resort


The NMB metro
  • Politics

DA wants special inquiry into state capture in Nelson Mandela Bay


Actress Viola Davis at an event
  • Africa

Actress Viola Davis to join US African diaspora council


A firefighter working to extinguish a blaze.
  • World

Death toll from fuel depot fire in Karabakh leaps to 125: Media


Weather

  • About the SABC
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Disclaimer
  • Site Map

SABC © 2023

No Result
View All Result
  • SOUTH AFRICA
  • POLITICS
  • BUSINESS
  • SPORT
  • AFRICA
  • WORLD
  • FEATURES
  • OPINION

© 2023

Previous Returning Wawrinka knocked out by Bublik in Monte Carlo opener
Next Zuma’s corruption trial postponement not a surprise: Legal analyst