South Africa’s new cases of COVID-19 nearly doubled in a day, authorities reported Wednesday, signaling a dramatic surge in the country where scientists detected the omicron variant last week.

New confirmed cases rose to 8,561 Wednesday from 4,373 a day earlier, according to official statistics.

Scientists in South Africa said they are bracing for a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases following the discovery of the new omicron variant.

"There is a possibility that really we’re going to be seeing a serious doubling or tripling of the cases as we move along or as the week unfolds,” Dr. Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, regional virologist for the World Health Organization, told The Associated Press. “There is a possibility that we are going to see a vast increase in number of cases being identified in South Africa.”

South Africa had seen a period of low transmission in early November with a 7-day average of about 200 new cases per day, but in the middle of November new cases began to rapidly increase. The new cases reported Wednesday represent a 16.5% positivity rate of cases tested, up from a 1% rate early in November.

The country's previous surge, driven by the delta variant in June and July, saw daily new cases reach a peak of more than 20,000. With a population of 60 million people, South Africa has recorded more than 2.9 million COVID-19 cases, including nearly 90,000 deaths.

It’s too early to be certain that the omicron variant is responsible for the rise in cases, but it is very possible, say experts. Standard PCR tests can suggest that a positive case is caused by omicron, but only a full genetic sequencing can confirm it.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 are also rising in South Africa, but not at the dramatic rate of the new cases.

The omicron variant has been detected in five of South Africa’s nine provinces and accounted for 74% of the virus genomes sequenced in November, the country’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced Wednesday.

The earliest detection of the variant in South Africa may have been on Nov. 8 in Gauteng province (encompassing Johannesburg and Pretoria), according to the NCID. It said until the end of October, the delta variant accounted for most genomes sequenced in the country, but in November the omicron variant overtook it.


https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-africa-d916ab2d889e33d3ad2826e24ce4caa6

Gauteng province is the global Omicron hotspot


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGQbkFg78yM

Co-Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee on way forward


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSev7Mg5oAA

If COVID can kill off all the South African xenophobes wouldn't that be karmically effective?

I no the fear coronavirus again,
Over 70% of Africans don catch this virus and recover without even knowing

If unalike make una bring Omarion variant

Nice development

Let them come up with another vaccine or like 4th or 5th shot bullshît.

Whether anyone likes it or not, nothing in this life will ever make me take any nonsense vaccine that has to do with this covid.

All the people that took vaccine for the Spanish in 1918, WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Na una sabi

If una like, make una release the 10th variant like I dey release creampîe inside all these Imo and Anambra girls wey dey my area
E no consign me

Problem no de finish for this world

Hmmm

them go come chuk you this thing weh dey tickle person for nose ...

Africa Sabi use sickness do business

Here we go again .. these people will just stay in one place and start dishing out digits and inciting fear in others ...

What is the cause of these mutations?

Brace, brace, brace......

Everyone want to cash out..

And SA are still allowed into this con3

Fake ass shit

Yeah I said it

What a world we live in!

My opinion could be flawed, but this omicron looks delibrately cut out and staged.

My spidey sense tells me there's an hidden agenda to an endgame.

Sighs!

Isn't there always one?

Na just ordinary flu with eye glasses jare, it will pass after the winter

I hope they won't start accusing other Nationals for d the massive transmission of Omicron....

This is really frightening and worrisome.

No be only Omicron what about Omega ?

Abi, after Omicron what next ?

Is it not to discover "Omega" so that we all can rest about this covid of a thing.

Me I sha know say, something is going on about this Covid !

This coronavirus is mutating at an alarming rate.

In less than two years, there are two strains already (Delta and Omicron)

Nawa oh

IF IT LIKES,LET IT ENDS THEIR LIVES.SOUTH AFRICANS ARE HEARTHLESS

No shaking. All these stats no de fear us for this part of the world. Na so dem talk say dead body from Covid-19 go de litter our streets. But Baba God pass dem.

HIV x Omicron..

I don't care about the fictitious doubling of the so called COVID cases.

My question is how people are actually dying from the SCAMdemic?

Omnikron fear-mongering tactis my arse!

Nonsense.