Category: South Africa
Research: “Omicron variant is highly likely a product of artificial genetic modification”
An extraordinary claim in a research paper just released: that the Omicron variant could be a product of artificial genetic modification.… ...More...
XAY Delta-Omicon recombinant under observation
A new SARS-CoV-2 recombinant lineage from South Africa has been highlighted by Tulio de Oliveira, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & Innovation in South Africa today.… ...More...
South Africa: Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths rise in fifth wave
In a new report out today, an estimation of the current RO number in South Africa was revealed, along with evidence of increasing numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the country.… ...More...
South Africa: Covid-19 remains a threat, we cannot just let the virus spread
“Our message remains again, to say that, Covid-19 remains a threat, it’s not over, and we cannot afford to drop all the prevention measures.… ...More...
South Africa: BA.4 and BA.5 increasing as a proportion of sequenced cases *1 UPDATE*
An increasing share of South Africa’s Covid-19 cases are the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, suggesting those might have a growth advantage over others, Prof Helen Rees said on Thursday.… ...More...
SARS-CoV-2 potential recombinants in Brazil, Belgium, France, Netherlands, US, Finland, Puerto Rico, Spain
SARS_CoV-2 recombinants seem to have been popping up across the globe recently.… ...More...
BA.4: Recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.3
Potential BA.4 lineage with a mix of BA.1 and BA.3 mutations, 5 sequences found in South Africa and USA.… ...More...
WHO: BA.2 to remain classified as Omicron
Based on available data of transmission, severity, reinfection, diagnostics, therapeutics and impacts of vaccines, the group reinforced that the BA.2 sublineage should continue to be considered a variant of concern and that it should remain classified as Omicron.… ...More...
South Africa: Puma and 3 lions infected with Delta variant in Pretoria Zoo
Here we report infection of an exotic puma and three African lions in the same private zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa.… ...More...
Preprint: Omicron infection enhances neutralizing immunity against the Delta variant
“We enrolled both previously vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the Omicron infection wave in South Africa soon after symptom onset.… ...More...
Preprint: Omicron incompletely escapes immunity induced by the Pfizer vaccine
Laboratory research from South Africa strongly suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes antibody immunity induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccine, but that considerable immunity is retained in people who were both vaccinated and previously infected.… ...More...
Preprint: Omicron is the product of extensive evolution that has left no obvious traces of intermediate forms
The Omicron variant identified in Southern Africa in late November 2021 is the product of extensive evolution within an infection context that has so far left no obvious traces of intermediate forms since it diverged from the B.1.1 lineage (presumably at some time in mid to late 2020).… ...More...
South Africa: Tshwane District Omicron Patient Profile
There has been a significant rise in new SARS-CoV-2 infections in the Gauteng Province in the last four weeks which has been attributed to the new Omicron variant announced on 24 November 2021.… ...More...