NEW COVID VARIANT HAS EXPERTS ON HIGH ALERT

AS HEALTH experts work around the clock to understand the new Covid-19 variant detected in South Africa this week, the country's low vaccine uptake has led to the temporary suspension of orders for more doses, according to Stellenbosch University's Dr Jo Barnes.

The new strain, currently known as B1.1.529 and due to be renamed, has been tracked by a team of scientists over a number of months and was announced yesterday after a sharp spike in infection rates had been noticed over the past 10 days, with an “exponential increase in cases” in Gauteng.

However, it was too early to predict if tighter lockdown restrictions were planned, although consultations would take place with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC ) over the weekend, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said. The Cabinet has extended the state of national disaster until December 15.

During a briefing yesterday, specialist Tulio de Oliveira said the new variant was detected in South Africa, with a high number of mutations, “which are concerning for predicted immune evasion and transmissibility”.

There were early signs from diagnostic laboratories that the new variant had increased rapidly in Gauteng but may also already be present in most other provinces as well.

“We can make some predictions about the impact of mutations in this variant, but the full significance is uncertain and the vaccines remain the critical tool to protect us against severe disease,” said De Oliveira.

Barnes said a significant amount of vaccines was due to expire in the next week or two.

“South Africa has temporarily suspended ordering more vaccines since the uptake of the present stock is so slow. Apart from the massive financial loss, those vaccines could have been used to protect more people.

“This new increased risk should be made known to (unvaccinated people) to help convince them to come for vaccinations,” said Barnes.

He said the new variant was at present classified as a variant of interest (VOI) and there was a lot of work being done in laboratories across the world as well as in South Africa to help health services keep ahead of the pandemic, but this rquired the co-operation of the public.

“If the public won't come to take the vaccines, the hospitals will again be overwhelmed and many more people will get seriously ill or even lose their lives.”

Specialist Richard Lessells said “urgent work” had already begun to understand the full significance of the new variant.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa (NICD) said 22 positive cases of the new variant had been recorded in the country following genomic sequencing collaborations between the NICD and private laboratories.

In addition, other NGS-SA laboratories were confirming more cases as sequencing results came out.