SA Prez tests COVID +ve as infections record new high
JOHANNESBURG/BEIJING: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving treatment for mild symptoms, according to his office.
President Ramaphosa, 69, who is fully vaccinated, contracted the contagion on a day the country recorded a new high of 37,875 new infections, dramatically up from the previous day’s 17,154 new cases. The President started feeling unwell after leaving the State Memorial Service in honour of former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier today.
The President is in good spirits but is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service of the South African National Defence Force, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele said in a statement on Sunday. Gungubele said the President is in self-isolation in Cape Town and has delegated all responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to wish him a speedy recovery.
China reports outbreak of new strain
China has reported a spike in COVID-19 infections in Zhejiang Province which registered 138 locally-transmitted confirmed cases stated to be that of new Delta strain “sub-lineage AY.4”, prompting authorities to bar millions of people in the eastern province from travelling.
This is the first time China has reported the new strain of the Delta variant. Zhejiang Province has registered 138 locally-transmitted confirmed cases and the whole-genome sequencing and analysis found that the cases were caused by the Delta strain sub-lineage AY.4.