WHO hopes to have more answers on Omicron ‘within days’
The World Health Organisation says it expects to have more information within days about the new Covid variant, Omicron, and how easily it spreads.
Many questions remain about this variant as we don't know whether it's more transmissible or how effective vaccines are against it.
The WHO says while the mutation has reached 23 countries, although the Delta variant accounts for almost all cases in the world.
In South Africa, it’s now becoming a reality that there could be in the region of 10 000 new coronavirus cases by Friday.
The number of new infections jumped to more than 8 500 thousand on Wednesday, adding to concern that parts of the country have already started entering the fourth wave.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) says the positivity rate's shot up to 16.5%.
In KZN, cases have climbed by more than 470.
Meanwhile UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has slammed the unfair and ineffective travel bans targeting some countries over the new variant.
But America's top health official, Anthony Fauci, defended their decision, saying they needed to buy some time to be able to prepare and understand what's going on.
A Californian, who tested positive for coronavirus, was found to be carrying the Omicron variant - after returning from South Africa.
