CAPE TOWN – President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation at 8pm tonight after an increase in Covid-19 infections and the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant.
Ramaphosa is expected to announce new measures to deal with the rising infections of Covid-19 in the country, after a meeting of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints).
South Africa recorded 15 036 new Covid-19 cases and 122 deaths on Sunday, the National Health Department said.
“The cumulative number of Covid-19 cases reported in South Africa on June 27, 2021, is 1 928 897, with 15 036 new cases reported,” the department said on Twitter.
“There are 158 998 active cases in the country. There are 122 reported deaths, which brings the total to 59 900. The recovery rate is 88.7%.”
On Saturday, South Africa recorded 17 958 new Covid-19 cases and 157 deaths.
Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Saturday warned that the new Delta variant was more transmissible and was spreading faster than previous variants.
Health experts Professor Tulio de Oliveira and Dr Richard Lessells also said the Delta variant, which was first detected in India in October last year, was spreading faster.
“The Delta variant – it is a variant that caused damage in India. It is dominating infections in South Africa,” said De Oliveira.
He said the Delta variant was now dominating infections in South Africa.
“It is highly transmissible, more than any other variant. When the transmissions are very fast, it will overwhelm our hospitals,” said De Oliveira.
Lessells reiterated that this variant spreads fast.
“In terms of transmissibility, how this variant spreads from person to person, this variant is more transmissible than any other variant. It is a highly transmissible variant,” said Lessells.
However, Lessells and De Oliveira said that in a study conducted in the UK it was found that both AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were effective against the variant if a person took double doses. But if a person took one dose of these vaccines, it was not effective against the variant.
In a statement on Saturday, government spokesperson Phumla Williams said the National Coronavirus Command Council would convene again today to process the NatJoints report.
Williams said that a special Cabinet meeting would also take place to process the NatJoints recommendations ahead of the address to the nation.
IOL