For about three weeks, the country has seen an increasing number of new cases and higher hospitalizations, but no increase in severe cases and deaths, said Professor Marta Nunes, researcher in Vaccine Analytics and Hospital Infectious Diseases. Chris Hani Baragwanath” in Soweto. "We're still very early in this growth period, so I don't really want to call it a wave," Nunes said.
Johannesburg, (AP) - South Africa is experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases driven by two Omicron subvariants, health experts have warned.
For about three weeks, the country has seen an increasing number of new cases and higher hospitalizations, but no increase in severe cases and deaths, said Professor Marta Nunes, a researcher at the Hospital's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Analytics. Chris Hani Baragwanath” in Soweto.
"We're still very early in this growth period, so I don't really want to call it a wave," Nunes said. "We're seeing a slight, small increase in hospitalizations and really very few deaths."
From 300 cases to 8.000
South Africa's new cases have gone from an average of 300 a day in early April to about 8.000 a day this week. Nunes says the actual number of new cases is probably much higher because symptoms are mild and many who get sick are not being tested.
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The new South African growth comes from two variations of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5, which appear to be very similar to the original Omicron strain that was first identified in South Africa and Botswana in late last year and swept the globe.
"Most new cases are of these two types. They are still Omicron... but just genomically somewhat different,” Nunes said. The new versions appear to be able to infect people who have immunity from previous COVID infections and vaccinations, but they cause generally mild illness, she said. In South Africa, 45% of adults are fully vaccinated, although about 85% of the population is thought to have some immunity based on past exposure to the virus.
A patient undergoes a nasal test to check for COVID-19 at a testing center in Soweto on May 11, 2022
The protection that the vaccine is providing
"It looks like vaccines still protect against serious disease," Nunes said.
Nunes said Omicron's BA.4 and BA.5 strains have spread to other countries in southern Africa and some European countries, but it is too early to say whether they will spread across the globe, as Omicron did.
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The surge in COVID cases comes as South Africa enters the Southern Hemisphere's coldest winter months and the country is seeing an increase in flu cases.
People wait in line at a COVID-19 testing center in Soweto, South Africa
Flu vs. COVID
At a COVID testing center in the Chiavelo area of Soweto, many people come to be tested for COVID only to find they have the flu.
"Now we're in flu season... so it's flu versus COVID-19," said Magdeline Matsoso, site manager at the Chiavelo vaccination center. She said people come for testing because they have symptoms of COVID.
"When we do the tests, you find that most of them are negative when it comes to COVID, but they have flu symptoms," Matsoso said. "So they get the flu treatment and then they go home because most are flu-related and not COVID-related."
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Vuyo Lumkwani was one of those who came to be tested.
"I didn't feel well when I woke up this morning. I woke up with body aches, headaches, (nasal) congestion, dizziness, so I decided to come here," she said. "I was terrified of my symptoms because I thought it might be COVID-19, but I told myself that I would be fine because I have been vaccinated," said Lumkwani. She said she was relieved after being diagnosed with the flu and advised to go home with some medicine and rest.
A woman with a child on her back waits in line to be checked for COVID-19 at a testing center in Soweto
