Tag: South Africa

Doctor Who Helped Discover Omicron Says She Was Pressured Not to Reveal It’s Mild

The doctor who helped discover the Omicron COVID-19 variant claimed that she was pressured by several government officials not to reveal that it was a milder strain. Speaking to Germany’s Welt newspaper, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, who is currently the head of the South African Medical Association, said that during discussions with European officials, she was told not…


Facts Matter (Jan. 7): CDC Signals Changes to COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule, in Part to Address Heart Inflammation

The CDC recently released a statement, in which they signaled that a change is coming to their COVID vaccine schedule in order to mitigate the number of people who are experiencing heart inflammation after getting the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, scientists who are working with Oxford University claim to have just discovered a new, highly transmissible…


Facts Matter (Feb. 7): CDC Signals Changes to COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule, in Part to Address Heart Inflammation

The CDC recently released a statement, in which they signaled that a change is coming to their COVID vaccine schedule in order to mitigate the number of people who are experiencing heart inflammation after getting the COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, scientists who are working with Oxford University claim to have just discovered a new, highly transmissible…


Western Cape’s Tortoise Hill Estate: Grandiose Property Is Set on 1,500 Acres of Game Preserve

New on the market in the wonderful Cape Winelands of South Africa, Tortoise Hill is listed for $4.8 million. A game preserve and recreational estate, the property is centered around a main residence built in 2014. In all, there are seven bedrooms and nine full baths and a half-bath, spread out over three residences; outdoors,…


Omicron Evades mRNA Booster Protection, South African Study Shows

The Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus is able to evade the protection bestowed by messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines, such as those from Pfizer and Moderna, a South African study has found. A study published Tuesday in The Lancet examined some of the first documented breakthrough cases of the highly transmissible Omicron strain, which emerged…


Fire Reignites at South Africa’s Parliament in Cape Town

CAPE TOWN, South Africa—The fire that has already destroyed South Africa’s main Parliament chamber flared up again Monday about 36 hours after it started in the 130-year-old complex of historic buildings, authorities said. Firefighters have been sent back to the Parliament precinct in the center of Cape Town after flames re-appeared on the roof of…


Suspect Arrested in Connection With South African Parliament Fire

CAPE TOWN—A fire at the South African parliament caused extensive damage on Sunday, collapsing the roof and gutting an entire floor in one building and a man in his 50s was arrested in connection with the blaze. The fire broke out in the early morning and authorities said the sprinkler system appeared to have been…


South Africa Lifts Most COVID-19 Restrictions, Says It May Have Passed Peak of Omicron-Driven Wave

The South African government has lifted most restrictions in the country as officials declare the country “may have passed the peak of the fourth wave.” Restrictions are being removed “[b]ased on the trajectory of the pandemic, the levels of vaccination in the country and the available capacity within the health sector,” according to a government statement from…


South Africa Scraps Quarantining, Contact Tracing for Asymptomatic COVID-19 Cases

South Africa has announced it will halt contact tracing and end quarantine for asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 as the dynamics of the outbreak warrant a shift towards mitigation and away from containment strategies, which are “no longer appropriate.” The country’s director-general of health, Dr. Sandile Buthelezi, said in a Dec. 23 circular to heads of provincial…


Natural Immunity Likely Contributing to Lower Hospitalization Rate in South Africa Amid Omicron Surge: Studies

A high immunity among South Africans that stems primarily from prior infection is likely a contributing factor to the lower hospitalization rate the country has recorded amid the surge in COVID-19 cases after the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus became dominant, according to a pair of new studies. COVID-19 infections in South Africa…