Covid positivity in South Africa is at a 5-month high
Key Takeaways:
- Due to two sub-lineages of the Omicron variant that are rapidly proliferating, South Africa's daily coronavirus test positivity rose above 30% on Saturday.
For the first time in over five months, South Africa's daily coronavirus test positivity rose above 30% on Saturday, owing to two sub-lineages of the Omicron variant that are fast spreading. Meanwhile, China, which has imposed strict, periodic Covid-19 lockdowns, causing frustration among residents, has begun a new round of coronavirus mass testing in Beijing, which has also shut down more bus lines and metro stations.
Residents in Shanghai, an economic and financial center, have already been subjected to harsh restrictions, including a one-month lockdown, which has sparked protests over issues such as food and medical treatment and a loss of income — an uncommon occurrence in a government known for suppressing dissent.
In the middle of this, the World Health Organization has produced a study on unreported deaths, most of which are from India. The national government has severely rejected the report.
Other global Covid-19 upgrades include:
- On Saturday, 8,524 new Covid cases were found in South Africa, with a positivity rate of 31.1 percent among those tested — an indicator of how quickly the virus is spreading through the community. This is the highest percentage since 32.2 percent was reported on December 15, when 26,976 cases were reported. The increase could indicate that South Africa is approaching its highest level of optimism. According to sources, the previous high was 34.9 percent on December 14.
- South Africa, which discovered the Omicron variety with Botswana in November last year, was the first country to experience a wave caused by the strain. The way it unfolded was considered a sign of what could happen elsewhere.
- To combat the Covid outbreak, Shanghai moved the city's important Gaokao University entrance exam to early July. According to ANI, it happened in June, and the previous time it was delayed was in 2020, even during the initial virus outbreak, citing the Taipei Times.
- According to data issued by the Ministry of Health on Saturday, Singapore recorded 3,162 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, increasing the total number of cases to 1,215,499 in the country. According to the ministry, four more people have died due to the virus, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,350.
- The Pakistani government has also dismissed a World Health Organization (WHO) report that predicted 260,000 Covid-19 fatalities in the Islamic country (eight times the official figure), criticizing the UN body's data collection process and speculating on a software glitch. According to official figures, Pakistan has had 30,369 Covid-19 deaths and 1.5 million illnesses.
- According to ANI, China's strict limits in the face of Covid-19's return are predicted to influence freight costs and worldwide inflation. Because the cost of shipping has risen in recent years, according to Federico Giuliani, who covers Asian events for Il Giornale - Gli Occhi Della Guerra and writes for the Italian news website Inside Over, freight prices are projected to rise due to delays and waiting times at ports. It could have an economic impact on world trade.
- At the 14th Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) meeting in India, health ministers from several states criticized the WHO's estimate of 4.7 million Covid-related fatalities in India, calling it "baseless" and "designed to paint India negatively." Following the release of the WHO report on Friday, the Union health ministry expressed significant opposition to the WHO's mathematical methodology for estimating excess mortality estimates attributable to the pandemic. As per the sources in the ministry, India is expected to raise the issue at the World Health Assembly and other multilateral venues.