While the world is preparing for the possible harms of the corona virus omicron variant, in South Africa, where the strain was discovered, the consequences of its spread are already being addressed.
Preliminary data revealed in the last day show an almost daily doubling of the number of cases.
Although it is not clear whether all the new cases are the result of infection with the new variant, mainly due to the low availability of genetic flooring tests in the country, experts estimate that two-thirds of the new cases are of infection with Omicron.
Of the genetic testing samples taken in the country, more than 74% were diagnosed as having the omicron virus.
During the month of November, 249 such genetic sequencing tests were performed by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in the country, a fairly small number of such tests.
Dr Michelle Grom, a senior official at the South African National Institute of Talking Diseases, said the increase in the number of cases was an "exponential increase" over the past two weeks.
A week later it was already 3,500.
We now stand at 8561 new infections.
This steep rise worries us, "says Dr. Grom.
Another statistic that worries experts in the country relates to increased infection of children under the age of two by the virus.
According to data from the Ministry of Health in the country, 10% of all patients are children under the age of two, an exceptional figure in relation to the hospitalization of children from Corona worldwide.
Citizens await corona examination in South Africa,
Dr Vassilla Gest, of the South African Ministry of Health told local media: “Young children appear to be at greater risk due to the new variant.
So far when we have looked at the hospitalized we have seen that the largest group is adults.
But during the eruption in the town of Chavna, we see that the largest age groups are children up to the age of two. "
The town of Chawna, near Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, has become the focus of an outbreak of the Omicron variant in the country.
Although the origin of the variant is probably in the neighboring Botswana, it spreads rapidly in the large suburbs of the metropolis, where most of the population is not vaccinated.
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