• 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

Daily COVID-19 cases expected to rise to over 10 000: Prof Abdool Karim

29 November 2021, 1:49 PM  |
Sashin Naidoo Sashin Naidoo |  @SABCNews
A health worker treats a patient at a temporary field hospital set up by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa, July 21, 2020.

A health worker treats a patient at a temporary field hospital set up by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa, July 21, 2020.

Image: Reuters

A health worker treats a patient at a temporary field hospital set up by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Khayelitsha township near Cape Town, South Africa, July 21, 2020.

Renowned epidemiologist, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, says he expects that the number of daily COVID-19 cases will soon rise to over 10 000.

The new COVID-19 Omicron variant is said to be far more transmissible, compared to previous variants.

More than 2 800 COVID-19 cases were recorded across the country on Sunday, with six deaths.

The majority of new infections, over 2 300 were recorded in Gauteng.

Karim was speaking during a media briefing on the country’s state of readiness to respond to the rise in infections.

“We can expect that higher transmissibility is likely. So, we are going to get more cases and we are already seeing more evidence of this. I am expecting we will see more than 10 000 cases by the end of the week per day.”

“We will see more pressure on hospitals over the next few weeks and even Omicron is not worse but certainly there are no red flags just yet. But we don’t know for sure, we are still going to see this in all likelihood because of the liquidity of transmission,” explains Karim.

The video is the health department live stream:

Karim has warned that breakthrough COVID-19 infections are likely – amid the emergence of the new Omicron variant.

However, vaccinated people are less prone to experience severe symptoms.

The new variant was detected by South African scientists last week – and is spreading across several countries.

He says the vaccines currently being administered are still expected to provide protection against severe disease, hospitalisation or COVID-19 related deaths.

“Based on what we know and based on the other variants of concern which have reacted to vaccine immunity, we can expect that we will still see high effectiveness from hospitalisation and severe disease. That protection of the vaccines is likely to remain strong.”

“So we don’t know this definitively as the studies are being done but based on what we know we can expect that this is the likely scenario. The vaccines should hold well in terms of preventing hospitalisations and severe disease as they depend on T-Cell immunity and less on antibodies,” adds Professor.

Below is the COVID-19 stats in South Africa:

Loading...

Loading…

Share article
Tags: OmicronSalim Abdool KarimCOVID-19
Previous Post

First Saudi female racer appointed ambassador for F1 GP

Next Post

Chinese province targets journalists, foreign students with planned new surveillance system

Related Posts

A man walks beneath a billboard during the 21-day nationwide lockdown aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in central Cape Town, South Africa, April 6, 2020.

South Africa commemorates three years of hard lockdown

27 March 2023, 10:07 AM
A tap with a droplet of water.

UN Water Conference kicks off as world marks World Water Day

22 March 2023, 9:30 PM
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, the Old Coronation Hospital.

“Report exposes state of Gauteng public health facilities”

15 March 2023, 11:09 AM
Members of Nehawu on strike

Phaahla links four deaths to Nehawu’s wage strike

9 March 2023, 1:00 PM
Silhouettes of mobile users are seen next to a screen projection of Instagram logo in this picture illustration taken March 28, 2018.

Instagram down for thousands of users globally

9 March 2023, 7:33 AM
[File Image]: A nurse at one of South Africa's hospital during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

Patients suffer as health workers strike

9 March 2023, 7:30 AM
Next Post
The logo of Neusoft is pictured outside one of their office buildings in Beijing, China

Chinese province targets journalists, foreign students with planned new surveillance system

Most Viewed

  • 24hrs
  • Week
  • Month
  • DENOSA defends nurses for placing newborns in boxes
  • Limpopo teacher writes a book which simplifies Maths
  • Scientist finds solution to extending life of power plants’ rotors
  • Durban’s N2 road, Spaghetti Junction closed due to cleanup operations
  • North West Health probes why newborn babies were placed in boxes
  • Dr Nandipha’s looks during court appearances under the spotlight
  • Experts raise caution over Prime energy drink craze
  • Dr Nandipha Magudumana, co-accused in Thabo Bester’s escape to apply for bail
  • Reserve Bank expected to increase repo rate on Thursday
  • Petrol price up, diesel down from midnight
  • Durban’s N2 road, Spaghetti Junction closed due to cleanup operations
  • Five children die in road crash in Mitchell’s Plain: Police
  • Five primary school children killed in Mitchells Plain crash
  • Civil organisations say government losing control over illegal immigration
  • Hawks nab former Northern Cape finance MEC John Block

LATEST

[FILE IMAGE] A view from inside Parliament.
  • Politics

Parties participate in Parliament’s budget vote


Depiction of a crime scene.
  • South Africa

Family of slain Soshanguve pupil call for justice to prevail


Morning activities at Beitbridge on the South African side of the border crossing with Zimbabwe May 14, 2009.
  • Africa

Deadline for Zimbabwean Exemption Permits draws near


Bullets, a gun and police tape pictured.
  • South Africa

Mixed reactions to CPFs budget allocation


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
  • Africa

Russia’s Sergei Lavrov back in Africa on a charm offensive


Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni
  • Eskom rolling blackouts
  • South Africa

Govt achieves important milestones since establishing Operation Vulindlela: Ntshavheni


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 First Saudi female racer appointed ambassador for F1 GP
Next Chinese province targets journalists, foreign students with planned new surveillance system