The data were gathered from Nov. 15 to Dec. 7, during which time omicron was first spotted by scientists in South Africa and Botswana, and may change as time passes. Experts now say that omicron accounts for more than 90% of all new infections in South Africa, according to Discovery Health chief executive Dr. Ryan Noach said. Hospital admissions for adults diagnosed with COVID-19 are 29% lower compared to the wave that South Africa experienced in mid-2020, after adjusting for vaccination status, according to the analysis. About 78,000 of the positive results were attributed to omicron infections. The U.K. Health Security Agency said Friday that new data from the U.K. confirm that omicron is more easily transmissible than other variants.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 14, 2021 19:41 UTC