By Sanjeev Sharma New Delhi, Nov 26th : .The new Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 found in South Africa is most likely to affect people under 25 years of age.According to health officials, the vaccine rate against the virus is only 26%.
Professor Anne von Gottberg, National Institute for Communicable diseases, said that the variant was detected in approximately 100 genomes.
According to Times Live, South Africa’s Health Minister Joe Phaahla stated that the affected group is at “great risk.”
Professor Tulio De Oliveira, KwaZulu Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (Krisp), said that the new variant is “concerning for predicted immune-evasion and transmission”.
After collaborations between the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, a division under the National Health Laboratory Service and private laboratories, 22 positive cases of this variant were identified in the country.
As sequencing results are released, NGS-SA laboratories confirm more cases.
“It is not surprising that a novel variant has been detected” comments Professor Adrian Puren (NICD Acting Director).
“Although data is limited, our experts are working overtime to understand the new variant of the surveillance system and its potential implications.The pace of development is rapid and we promise to keep the public informed.
The number of confirmed cases is on the rise, especially in Gauteng and North West, Limpopo.
Michelle Groome, Head of Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, at the NICD, stated that provincial health authorities are on high alert and prioritising sequencing of Covid-19-positive samples.
According to South African news outlets, Gauteng emerged as the epicenter of the fourth wave pandemic.It’s not surprising that Gauteng has seen the highest number of infections with the B.1.1.529 variant.
Johannesburg and Tshwane were both hotspots during the previous waves.
However, the current focus is on the capital.Pretoria West and areas such as Centurion, Hatfield and Soshanguve have been identified as areas to be concerned.
“This variant surprised.It is a leap on evolution,” Professor de Oliveira said, News 24 reported.
South Africa has a large collaboration genomic surveillance network that identifies variants and controls outbreaks.
Krisp is the chief investigative institute of this network.
De Oliveira said it had more mutations than scientists anticipated, especially after a severe third-wave, which was driven primarily by the Delta variant.
“Many of these mutations are concerning for immune evasion or transmissibility.The variant is spreading quickly.We expect to see pressure in the healthcare system within the next few days and even weeks.
He said that around 90% of cases linked to this variant were from Gauteng.
The team is currently generating data from other provinces.
Another scientist suggested that there were early signs of this variant in diagnostic lab tests, but he cautioned that this was based only on a smaller number of positive PCR test results.
Richard Lessells, an infectious disease expert who monitors for Covid-19 variants, stated that although the cases aren’t rising as much in other provinces, it raises concern that the variant could be spreading quite widely in the country.
(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at [email protected])
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