COVID-19 variant spreading in India not detected in SA: Health Dep
The National Health Department says the coronavirus variant that's spreading in India hasn't been detected in South Africa.
Yesterday, the Netcare Group confirmed it had treated a COVID-19 patient who recently arrived in the country from India.
The group's head of infection control, Caroline Maslo said the person was kept in an isolation hospital in a KZN hospital.
National health spokesperson, Lwazi Manzi says they have noted concerns about the variant prevalent in India entering our country.
READ: Traveller from India treated for COVID-19 at KZN hospital
"We wish to reassure citizens that there are no direct flights from India that all our port of entry employ stringent contained measures to minimize the importation of COVID-19 at large.
"We have not detected B1617 variant as yet in South Africa. We have consulted the genomics teams and we have consulted the ministerial advisory team so we can get scientific guidance on how to deal with any potential risk of importation of variants of concern."
India has been recording in excess of 300 000 COVID-19 infections in the past week or so.
It now topped 20 million cases since the pandemic began.
