Corona infection has skyrocketed in South Africa in recent weeks, and record high infection rates have been recorded recently. It is the omicron variant that is driving the infection.
The capacity of South African hospitals is threatened, but figures presented on one online press conference Friday builds up during studies that indicate that the omicron variant gives a milder course of the disease.
Fewer people need hospitalization
Researchers have compared how the course of the disease is now in this fourth wave of infection with omicron, with how the course of the disease took shape during the third wave with the delta variant.
The numbers are very positive.
Only 1.7 percent of those registered infected needed hospitalization during their second week of illness. In comparison, 19 percent of the delta patients had to be hospitalized in the second week of the illness, the South African Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, stated at the press conference, according to Bloomberg.
Many are infected
It still looks like the omicron variant is easily contagious, and infects more vaccinated people. 20,000 cases per day have been detected in this wave of infections, compared with 4,400 in the same week during the delta wave of infections. On the other hand, all indications are that the vaccines protect well against serious illness, especially with a booster dose.
When so many are infected, there will still be significant pressure on the health service.
South Africa has a relatively young population, which normally tolerates coronary infection well, but they also have 20 percent HIV-infected, which more often have to be admitted with corona, so the numbers are difficult to compare directly with Norwegian conditions.
Travel advice
The omikron variant has meant that Norway has advised against unnecessary travel to southern Africa since 26 November.
The Council applies to unnecessary travel to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
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