Health Dept Takes Action After Covid-19 Sub-Variant Detected

No travel restriction will be imposed on or by South Africa following collaborative efforts with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and additional scientists, despite the discovery of the first case of the XBB.1.5 Covid-19 sub-variant, otherwise known as "Kraken", in the country.

According to Minister of Health Joseph Phaahla, the new variant is the cause of a rapid spike in Covid-19 cases along the east coast of the U.S. Phaala said: "However, I want to stress that the dominant Covid-19 variant remains the Omicron variant, which is responsible for 97 to 98% of infections that we are seeing globally. The XBB.1.5 variant, BF.7 and the BA.5 variants are sub-variants of the Omicron variant that remains dominant."

InFocus

A line for Covid-29 vaccines (file photo).

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