South Africa: 50% more cases of Covid reported in 24 hours

A new wave of the coronavirus driven by two new Omicron sub-variants in South Africa has led to more than 50% increase in infections in 24 hours.

According to official figures released on Thursday, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases counted 9,757 new cases of Covid-19 in the country, 50% more than the 6,170 new cases counted the day before on Wednesday. 64 new deaths were also reported.

More than a quarter of the people tested had a positive result, the highest rate recorded in months. Covid-19 has also claimed seven lives in the last two days.

The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation warned late April that South Africa, the country officially the most affected by Covid-19 on the continent, has entered a new wave of pandemic.

The country of nearly 60 million people, where less than 45% of the adult population is fully vaccinated, has officially recorded more than 3.8 million cases and over 100, 000 deaths.

Two new Omicron sub-variants, whose virulence has yet to be determined, are causing the new wave of Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa according to the World Health Organization (WHO).