Fifth Covid-19 wave to hit SA in April, May – CSIR
A senior researcher at the CSIR says South Africa should begin seeing the fifth wave of Covid-19 cases at the end of April or beginning of May.
Dr Ridwaan Suliman made a presentation at the South African Healthcare Industry Summit on Wednesday.
"For a fifth wave, we would need another variant to out-compete the highly transmissible Omicron variant and that would drive the fifth wave or resurgence in infections.
"While there may likely be high levels of infection, I think we need to recognise high levels of immunity in the country. We hope to see less severe outcomes of hospitalisations and death."
He says the virus, for now, is here to stay.
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"Recent infection rates occurring in many countries in Europe and even after a very severe Omicron wave we saw many countries in Europe seeing a resurgence."
The number of new Covid-19 cases in the country's gone up compared to Wednesday's figure.
Nearly 1 400 infections were recorded in the last 24-hour period - which represent a 5.7% positivity rate.
No deaths were registered, which means our pandemic death toll remains at 99 899.
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