On Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to discuss steps to combat a newly discovered Covid-19 subvariant.
The emergency meeting follows the discovery of XBB 1.5 in the Western Cape a week ago.
The head of the gene sequencing institute at the University of Stellenbosch, Tulio de Oliveira, tweeted on December 27: “First XBB 1.5 found in South Africa today by Stellenbosch University and the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa.”
Today, Stellenbosch University and the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa found the XBB.1.5 virus for the first time in South Africa (NGS-SA). XBB.1.5 accounts for 1% (1/97 of recent genomes) Isolate from December 27, 2022. Interesting, two other BA.2.75 strains have an additional Spike F486P mutation. Tweet 1/2
— Tulio de Oliveira (@Tuliodna) January 6, 2023
According to the World Health Organization, XBB 1.5 has rapidly become the predominant strain in the United States and has been found in at least 28 other nations.
Although it has been reported that the Kraken subtype is highly contagious, Ramaphosa has stated that South Africans do not need to panic.
Monday, he stated that the Health Department and scientists would recommend preventive measures tailored to the newly identified variety.
Ramaphosa indicated that the NCCC, which was founded in March 2020 in response to the pandemic and consists of cabinet ministers and other stakeholders, will continue to convene until the national state of calamity was lifted in April 2022.
Separately, China has eased pandemic restrictions on international travel, bringing an end to quarantine regulations for incoming travelers and nearly three years of self-imposed isolation.
»Ramaphosa and the leadership council will meet amidst escalating Covid panic«