New omicron types on the rise?

Infection numbers in South Africa are increasing again

Created: 04/30/2022, 16:06

By: Felix Durach

In South Africa, the daily number of new infections has been rising again for a few days.

This could also be due to the Omikron variants BA.4 and BA.5.

Pretoria – While the number of new infections in Germany continues to decline and the population is likely to have another summer that is largely free of restrictions, the infection dynamics in South Africa are picking up speed again.

“The fifth wave is here.

Take care of yourselves,” was an appeal by scientists to the South African population last Tuesday.

Corona virus: New infections in South Africa are increasing again – reports have quintupled

In the past few weeks since mid-March, the responsible authorities in South Africa have reported a relatively constant number of around 1,200 new corona infections per day.

Last Thursday, however, 6732 infections with the corona virus were reported - almost five times as many cases as in the weeks before.

Even if the increased number of infections has not yet had an impact on hospital admissions and deaths, the development in South Africa is being observed by scientists worldwide.

Coronavirus in South Africa: New omicron variants on the rise

The main reason for this is the two newly observed omicron subtypes BA.4 and BA.5, which are now spreading more and more in South Africa.

Christian Drosten from the Berlin Charité also commented on the new subtypes via Twitter this week, pointing out, among other things, that Immunescape is likely in the subtypes.

That would mean that vaccinations or previous corona diseases provide less protection against infection.

Drosten also notes that the number of infections is not yet having an effect on the hospitalization rate, but also points out that this could change in the next two weeks.

Measures ended and vaccination rate low: Infections in South Africa are increasing

In South Africa, however, the sharp increase in new infections could also be favored by the basic immunity in the population.

The vaccination rate there is significantly lower than in Germany or other European countries.

Just 45 percent of the population is considered fully vaccinated against the corona virus.

The number of new infections in South Africa has risen sharply again in the past few days.

This could also be attributed to the comparatively low vaccination rate in the country.

© Denis Farrell/dpa

In addition, the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa had lifted almost all measures to contain the corona virus in the country at the beginning of April.

With the above aspects, these circumstances could also have an impact on the increase in the number of new infections.

Researchers around the world will therefore also keep an eye on developments in South Africa in the coming years, as these could also be used as a blueprint for a possible fifth wave in Europe.

Because the omicron variant BA.5 has long since arrived in Germany, but is only responsible for a fraction of the infections there.

BA.5 was detected in 0.1 percent of all tests.

The dominant variant in Germany remains the omicron subtype BA.2 with 96 percent.