Covid cases up in SA ahead of predicted fourth wave

JOHANNESBURG - Covid cases in South Africa are on the rise ahead of a predicted fourth wave. The country has recorded 1, 886 new virus cases since Saturday and 22 deaths from coronavirus.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla has urged more people to get vaccinated. “We knew it was a matter of time before the fourth wave comes,” he said during an interview with ENCA television.

Phaahla says the uptake of vaccines has gone down in recent days. The government says it has no plans to enforce a hard lockdown during the wave.

There is optimism that it will be less devastating than the other waves but the government is cautious in case of any new variants. The fourth wave was predicted to start next month through January.

Meanwhile, adolescent children in Kenya and Rwanda are now eligible to receive Pfizer Covid jabs as both countries kick off vaccine campaigns.

Rwanda yesterday started vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above while Kenya is allowing those from 15 years.

Rwanda has the highest fully vaccinated population in East Africa with over 20 percent of the total population. The rest of the region including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have vaccinated less than 10 percent of their total population.

Rwanda’s adolescent vaccination programme will cover the entire country and parents or guardians have to sign consent forms before their children can be vaccinated.

In Kenya, the health ministry expects to receive four million doses of Pfizer vaccines for its campaign to vaccinate adolescents. The World Health Organisation has approved Pfizer vaccine as suitable for use by people aged 12 years and above. The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended the same vaccine for younger children aged from five years.