South Africa is dealing not only with a surge in COVID-19 infections, but also with a strain that specialists are concerned about, the Delta variant, which is more infectious than any previously identified in the country.
In South Africa, the total number of #COVID-19 cases is 1 941 119, including 12 222 new cases. To far, 138 fatalities have been reported, bringing the total to 60 038. The total number of recoveries is 1 723 882 with an 88.8 percent recovery rate.
6 Things to know about the Delta variant:
- The new variety was discovered for the first time in India, where it “spread like wildfire.” The Delta variant has already spread to 85 nations, however in South Africa the variant has been detected in five provinces, namely, the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape
- According to Professor Tulio de Oliveira of the University of KwaZulu-Natal stated that Delta variant is more transmittable than Beta, which was prominent during the second wave.
“When transmission grows, we overwhelm our hospitals and we have extra deaths not only from COVID-19 but from other diseases,” he said. - Symptoms associated with the Beta variant, like loss of smell and taste, were not prominent with the Delta variant.
“In the UK at the moment the most prominent symptoms are headaches, sore throats, runny nose and sneezing. What is less prominent are some of the symptoms we previously highlighted like loss of taste, smell and fever,” Professor said.
- Delta variant is spreading rapidly in many regions and is fast becoming the dominate strain globally.
- Experts and scientists have stated that the Delta variant poses a huge risk to people who have been fully vaccinated – no one is safe, vaccinated or not.
- There is a new mutation of the variant that has emerged called delta plus which is worrying.
