South Africa: variant of coronavirus no more deadly, but 1.5 times more contagious

Called 510Y.V2, this mutation of Covid-19 "is 50% more transmissible", but "there is no indication that the new variant is more severe," said a panel of South African experts on Monday.

Since the start of the pandemic, South Africa has had more than 1.3 million cases of coronavirus, including some 37,000 deaths.

The new variant of the coronavirus identified in South Africa in October, and now predominant in the country of the continent most affected by the pandemic, is not more deadly but it is 1.5 times more contagious, a panel said on Monday. 'South African experts. 

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Called 510Y.V2, this mutation "is 50% more transmissible", but "there is no indication that the new variant is more severe", declared Prof. Salim Abdool Karim, epidemiologist and co-chair of the scientific committee at the southern health ministry. -African.

These conclusions are drawn in particular from data collected in the main sources of contamination in the country of southern Africa.

A 23% decrease in cases

South Africa has more than 1.3 million cases of the coronavirus, including some 37,000 deaths.

Hard hit by the second wave of the pandemic, the country however recorded a 23% decrease in the number of cases on Monday, Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize announced on Monday.

South Africa has arguably reached the 'inflection point' of this second wave, he said, "but it is too early to celebrate" as at the same time hospital admissions have increased by 18.3% compared to the previous week. 

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The second wave of the pandemic is putting enormous pressure on the country's breathless health system.

"If the patients are more numerous, the hospital mortality did not change" between the first and the second wave, however underlined a specialist of the panel, Dr. Waasila Jassat.

"The world has underestimated this virus"

The discovery of a new variant forced South African authorities to put new restrictions in place in December.

"The world has underestimated this virus: this virus can evolve and adapt," admitted another scientist on the panel, Professor Alex Sigal, from the Institute for Research on Health in Africa.

Fears over the new variant have also isolated Africa's leading industrial powerhouse, with several airlines cutting their routes.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced the arrival of 20 million vaccines in the next six months, for a population of 59 million people, without giving details.

"Pious wishes and dishonest manipulation," the Democratic Alliance (DA) denounced in a statement Monday.

The main opposition party demands clarification on the government's vaccination program.

"No proof of the effectiveness of current vaccines against the variant of the coronavirus has yet been provided", also admitted Professor Abdool Karim, stressing that "many studies are underway".