Tag: South Africa

Loyal Adopted Dog Takes Bullet in the Face to Protect Owners When Armed Robbers Break Into House

A dog in South Africa adopted from the SPCA into a loving forever home has repaid her owners a thousandfold after two armed robbers broke into their house and opened fire. The mixed breed, Kei, was shot in the face while ferociously protecting the family’s young lady. Those armed intruders on Oct. 3 broke into the…


An Equestrian Haven Is for Sale in South Africa’s Franschhoek Valley

The Val du Lac estate sits in a fertile valley protected by stunning mountains, and the pristine nature preserves of South Africa’s Western Cape region. This equestrian’s dream occupies over 24 hectares (60 acres) of the vineyard-lined Franschhoek Valley, just 40 minutes from the center of Cape Town. The estate features two expansive homes with…


South African COVID-19 Cases Surge Again After Brief Downward Trend

South Africa is seeing another surge of COVID-19 cases, after the number of new positive infections reported in the region had continued its downward trend despite increased testing, according to South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) data. The NICD on Dec. 14 reported 23,884 new COVID-19 cases in South Africa, bringing the total…


Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Less Protective Against Hospitalization After Omicron Emerged: Study

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been less effective in protecting against hospitalization following the emergency of the Omicron virus variant, according to a new study of real-world data from South Africa. The protection from the vaccine’s primary two-dose regimen has dropped to about 70 percent in recent weeks, according to Discovery Health, the largest private…


UK’s Handling of Omicron ‘Verges on Hysteria’: South African Medical Association Head

The South African doctor who alerted the world about Omicron said the UK government should “stay calm” as she described its handling of the new CCP virus variant as verging on “hysteria.” It comes as Parliament is due to vote on measures including mask mandate, self-isolation rules, and COVID-19 passes on Tuesday, and amid rumors of…


South African President Receiving Treatment for Mild COVID-19

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving treatment for mild COVID-19 symptoms, his office said on Sunday. “The President is in good spirits but is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service of the South African National Defence Force,” the office said in a statement. The 69-year-old, who…


South African Doctors See Signs Omicron Is Milder Than Delta

JOHANNESBURG—As the omicron variant sweeps through South Africa, Dr. Unben Pillay is seeing dozens of sick patients a day. Yet he hasn’t had to send anyone to the hospital. That’s one of the reasons why he, along with other doctors and medical experts, suspect that the omicron version really is causing milder COVID-19 than delta,…


No Evidence Omicron Variant Causes More Severe Illness: South Africa

No evidence has come to light yet that indicates the Omicron virus variant causes more severe illness when compared to other strains, South African officials said Friday. South Africa scientists were the first to identify Omicron, a variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19. Science on Omicron’s severity “is not yet clear,” South African…


South African Healthcare CEO: COVID-19 Omicron Cases Are Much Milder so Far

The chief executive of a top hospital system in South Africa, where the Omicron COVID-19 variant emerged in November, said most patients at hospitals in Gauteng are showing milder symptoms than during previous waves. Netcare CEO Richard Friedland said most COVID-19 Omicron patients in Gauteng don’t need oxygen, noting that’s a change from previous outbreaks. “While…


Omicron Virus Variant Evades Immunity From Pfizer Vaccine: Study

The Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus can best the antibodies from Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, according to a newly released small study led by South African researchers. Samples of plasma drawn from 12 people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were tested as part of a rapid response to the variant, which recently emerged in…