The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is causing a “worrying” rise in the number of infections in South Africa, official authorities report. The new mutation is fast becoming the dominant player.
Over the past two weeks, the number of daily corona infections in South Africa has increased exponentially, says Dr Michelle Groome of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
“From a weekly average of about 300 new cases per day, we went to 1,000 last week and more recently 3,500,” Groome said. “On Wednesday, no fewer than 8,561 new cases were registered, compared to 1,275 a week earlier. Such an increase is worrying.”
No less than 74 percent of all registered infections in the past month were attributable to the new Omicron variant, as it turns out. “The mutation is so fast on its way to dispel the delta variant and become the dominant factor.”