The country is experiencing a huge increase in infections. President Cyril Ramaphosa said as he announced a new broader lockdown during a nationwide speech on Sunday.
The third wave is centered on Gauteng. which is the economic engine of South Africa But scientists have said it is. ‘A matter of days’ before the impact of the delta variable spreads to other provinces.
The restrictions are some of the most stringent requirements announced in the early months of the pandemic. Indoor and outdoor gatherings are prohibited, except for funerals and a curfew is announced from 9 p.m. and 4.00 p.m.
The sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited while traveling in and out of the hardest-hit province of Gauteng. and the restaurant will only be allowed takeout and delivery. and school closed
“We are in the grip of a destructive wave where all indications seem to be worse than the previous wave. The peak of this third wave appears to be higher than the previous two,” Ramaposa added. The peak of the third wave may be longer than the last two.
Vaccines are of little effect.
Public health experts told CNN that the slow start and relatively slow vaccination means that vaccination will have little benefit for the third wave in the country.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure the vaccine is here,” Ramaphosa said. He stressed that public health measures such as hiding and avoiding gatherings are important.
Many health professionals in both the public and private sectors in Johannesburg Gauteng’s largest city explained to CNN that hospitals Nearly full and struggling to help patients, beds are limited but there is still a shortage of staff trained to treat patients.
Some of the more severe cases were evacuated to other provinces for critical care.
The delta variable spreads throughout Africa.
The tougher lockdown measures came after a group of scientists gave a public briefing on Saturday. with details on how quickly the Delta variables took over the country
Tulio de Oliveira, Director of the KZN Research Innovation & Sequencing Platform (KRISP), said: “The new model doesn’t seem to just add up. KRISP noted another variant earlier this year. which is now known as the beta version. which ripped through South Africa in an intense second wave.
While further studies need to be completed, de Oliveira believes genomic surveillance will show that the third wave in South Africa is directly linked to the occurrence of delta variants.
Delta is now spreading rapidly around the world and is present in more than 85 known countries, he said. There are many sites in southern Africa. East Africa, Central Africa and West Africa”
David McKenzie reports from Johannesburg, South Africa and Nimi Princewill reports from Abuja, Nigeria.
