As the world slowly pulls out of the ravaging Coronavirus pandemic with increased vaccination, South African scientists have detected a new COVID-19 variant in small numbers, which is worse than the Delta variant.
They blame it for a surge in infection numbers. Daily infections shot to more than 1,200 cases on Wednesday, from around 100 earlier this month, raising fears of a fourth wave of the pandemic.
The variant – called B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, scientists told reporters at a news conference, yesterday.
Early signs from diagnostic laboratories suggest the variant has rapidly increased in the most populated province of Gauteng and may already be present in the country’s other eight provinces, they said.
virologist Tulio de Oliveira told a hastily-called news conference that Unfortunately, they have detected a new variant, which is a reason for concern in South Africa
South Africa has confirmed around 100 specimens as B.1.1.529, but the variant has also been found in Botswana and Hong Kong, with the Hong Kong case a traveller from South Africa. As many as 90 per cent of new cases in Gauteng could be B.1.1.529, scientists believe.
