Omicron variant
- Covid-19 Updates
WHO urges globe to exercise caution to prevent new COVID-19 variant from emerging
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that at least 90% of the global population developed some level of immunity to…
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COVID-19: Health Department warns of increase in cases in 4 provinces
The Health Department has urged South Africans to continue taking necessary Covid-19 precautions as cases rise. Scientists are warning the…
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South Africa has entered a new phase of the Covid-19 pandemic
Confirmed cases of Sars-CoV-2 have been increasing in South Africa in recent weeks. This has been largely driven by two…
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SA COVID-19: New variants will be closely monitored, says Dr Cloete
Newer versions of the Omicron variant are pushing the country’s COVID-19 infection rate up. That’s according to Western Cape head…
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China’s imports fall as COVID outbreaks, lockdowns hit demand
China’s imports shrank on-year in March for the first time in nearly two years, official data showed Wednesday, hit by…
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New Covid-19 variant detected in Botswana, public urged not to panic
Our scientists have been investigating new corona virus mutations detected in Botswana,” said Dr Christopher Nyanga, Permanent Secretary from the…
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NW has administered over 2 million Covid-19 vaccine doses
The North West province is edging closer to its target of inoculating 2.7 million community members against Covid-19, Health MEC…
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China records more COVID-19 cases
China has reported more local symptomatic COVID-19 cases so far this year than it recorded in all of 2021, as…
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South Africa urged to keep COVID immune protection topped up to stave off future waves
Scientists have stressed the importance of keeping the population’s immune protection topped up ahead of future COVID-19 waves. This past…
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Indonesia bans foreign tourist arrivals at Jakarta airport as Covid-19 infections spike
Indonesia has temporarily banned foreign tourists entering the country through Jakarta’s airport, the transport ministry said, in a bid to…
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Chinese scientists say new highly accurate virus test gives results within minutes
Chinese scientists say they have developed a new coronavirus test that is as accurate as a PCR lab test but…
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US death toll from Covid-19 surpasses 900,000
The US death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic surpassed 900,000 on Friday, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.…
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Emirates to resume flights from SA
The United Arab Emirates has lifted its travel ban on South Africa and four other African countries. These include Guinea,…
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COVID-19: NICD warns of potential backlog in reporting
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has reported 128 COVID deaths in the last 24 hours but warned that…
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Australia’s New South Wales marks its highest COVID-19 death count
Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron…
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WC passes peak of COVID-19 fourth wave
The Western Cape has now passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic’s fourth wave. Provincial Health Department bosses gave an…
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France removes SA from its travel red list
South Africa has been removed from yet another controversial travel red list, this time by France, which along with other…
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Bulgaria detects first cases of Omicron coronavirus variant
Bulgaria has detected its first 12 cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Balkan country’s chief health inspector…
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COVID-19: Healthcare workers have until 14 Jan to get J&J vaccine booster shot
Healthcare workers have until 14 January to get their Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. Phase 2 of the…
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SAA confirms Mauritian govt extends travel ban on SA until end of Jan
The South African Airways (SAA) on Wednesday confirmed that the travel ban imposed by the Mauritian government on all flights…
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COVID-19: US to end travel ban on southern Africa
The US will lift its travel ban on southern Africa this week. Several countries imposed the bans last month after…
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Australia records first Omicron death, authorities stick to reopening plan
Australia reported its first confirmed death from the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 on Monday amid its biggest daily surge…
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SAMA supports revised COVID-19 contact tracing, quarantine & isolation protocols
SAMA supports Health Dept’s revised contact tracing, quarantine, isolation protocols. The South African Medical Association says it supports the Health…
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COVID: Over 2 000 flights cancelled as Omicron hits holiday travel
Over 2,000 flights have been cancelled and thousands delayed around the world as the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupts holiday…
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Western Cape COVID cases & hospitalisations continuing to increase – provincial Health Dept
Western Cape Health Department officials said that COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations were continuing to increase. The province is currently in…
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Health Department: Scientists confirm Omicron’s increased transmissibility
The Health Department has given an update on the Russian-South African scientific mission to study the clinical characteristics of the…
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COVID: 12.3 million people in the 18-34 age group remain unvaccinated in SA
The 18-34 age group make up the largest part of the adult population in South Africa. However, the rate of…
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Booming bookings are a much-needed salve for SA’s COVID embattled tourism sector
The Gauteng Tourism Authority says bookings have boomed following the Command Council’s announcement that South Africa would remain on alert…
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Health Minister Phaahla: Omicron variant spreads as COVID cases rise
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said COVID-19 cases were rising rapidly countrywide with the Omicron variant spreading. The variant has been…
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Omicron variant symptoms that you need to keep an eye out for
If you have developed a cough, sore throat, lost of your sense of smell or taste and have shortness of…
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NCCC: South Africa to remain on level 1 lockdown for now
Deputy President David Mabuza met with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on Tuesday to discuss whether South Africa would…
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South Africa to remain on adjusted Level 1 lockdown
The Government says South Africa will remain on an adjusted Level 1 lockdown. The Health Department says the Omicron variant…
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Professor Madhi: The elderly should be prioritised for booster jabs
The elderly and those with underlying conditions should be targeted for the booster shot, according to vaccinologist, Professor Shabir Madhi.…
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Tourism sector’s future still uncertain despite SA’s removal from UK red list
Despite the decision to remove South Africa from the UK’s red list, many tourism venues said that they had lost…
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Rwanda confirms six infections with Omicron variant
Rwanda has confirmed six cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the health ministry said, as it pushed for…
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Dirco wants compensation from UK for economic damage done by Omicron travel ban
South Africa’s Department of International Relations wants the UK to compensate South Africa for economic damage done by the travel…
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WC’s 3-phase lobbying effort is in full swing to remove SA from travel bans & UK red lists
The Western Cape government’s three-phase lobbying effort is in full swing as it reiterates its call to remove South Africa…
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How to protect your travel plans from Covid-19 chaos
As the scientific community works to understand the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, travel advisers are finding their workloads increasing.…
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Minister Phaahla optimistic about lockdown free Christmas
Health Minister Joe Phaahla says if South Africans stay put and observe all Covid-19 protocols then a lockdown-free Christmas might…
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UK raises Covid alert level due to Omicron surge
The UK on Sunday raised its Covid Alert Level due to the “rapid increase” in cases of the Omicron variant,…
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Ghana to vaccinate returning travellers against COVID-19 on arrival
Ghana will vaccinate returning citizens and residents against COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport from next Monday if they have…
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UK records highest Covid-19 cases since January says Health Ministry
The UK on Friday saw the highest number of Covid infections since January, a senior minister said Friday, as the…
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New COVID-19 variant Omicron reproductive rate highest yet – Health Minister
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla says while it’s too soon to conclude whether the Omicron variant is less severe than…
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Western Cape prepares for COVID-19 fourth wave
The Western Cape may enter its fourth wave by Friday. This is due to the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases…
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25% of jabbed COVID patients hospitalised not of concern, says Mediclinic SA
Mediclinic South Africa on Thursday said although 25% of its COVID-19 patients currently admitted in the hospital are vaccinated against…
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Thailand detects first case of Omicron variant
A waitress waits for a customer at a restaurant in Khaosan Road, one of the favourite tourist spots, as Thailand…
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Senegal records first Omicron case in tourist who attended demonstration
Senegal has recorded its first case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a tourist who attended a demonstration…
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SAMRC urges caution as over 16k new COVID infections recorded
South Africa has recorded 16,366 new daily COVID-19 cases in the last 24-hour review cycle. There are 75,130 active cases…
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No Omicron deaths yet, as variant spreads worldwide – says WHO
The Omicron variant has been detected in 38 countries but no deaths have yet been reported, the WHO said on…
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Health experts probe increase in COVID cases amongst kids and pregnant women
Health experts are investigating the reasons for the concerning increase in COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions among pre-schoolers and pregnant…
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