The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed that it is closely monitoring the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant recently detected in several Asian countries. The variant, believed to be a descendant of the Omicron lineage, has not yet been identified in South Africa.
Speaking on VOC’s PM Drive, Dr Angelique Coetzee, former chairperson of the South African Medical Association, reassured the public that there is no cause for concern.
“I don’t think we are free of any reported cases, but there are definitely not a lot of patients being diagnosed this past month with COVID,” she said.
Dr Coetzee noted that the recent rise in respiratory illnesses is primarily due to influenza.
“H1N1 and Influenza B are the two dominant strains in the medical scene at the moment. You do not have to worry about the COVID variant at this stage.”
She added that countries currently entering early summer or spring, particularly in the East, are seeing an increase in flu cases along with mild COVID infections.
“According to my friends in India, the clinical picture of this new variant is very mild— even milder than Omicron,” she said.
However, she cautioned that the elderly and immunocompromised remain at higher risk, as with any viral infection.
VOC News
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