— Amid fast-increasing new COVID-19 infections, South African officials on Thursday urged people to get vaccinated before traveling for the holidays and attending festive gatherings. South Africa's daily new confirmed cases climbed to more than 26,900 on Wednesday and 24,700 on Thursday, the highest yet in the new wave driven by the omicron variant — and reaching the peak of an earlier surge in June and July caused by delta. The rate of deaths has not increased over the same period, but health experts warn that fatalities can lag a few weeks after new cases. The omicron variant is driving the current surge, as it's responsible for more than 90% of the new daily cases, scientists say, citing tests. The new cases are increasing in almost all of South Africa's nine provinces, after previously being concentrated in Gauteng province, which includes the largest city, Johannesburg, and the capital Pretoria.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 17, 2021 01:01 UTC