COVID-19 WRAP | President Cyril Ramaphosa keeps SA at lockdown level 1

November 28 2021 — 22:00

Ramaphosa's address in full

November 28 2021 — 21:30

WATCH | 'Unjustified, discriminatory': Ramaphosa criticises travel bans while SA remains on level 1 lockdown

No new Covid-19 restrictions will be imposed but the government has set up a task team to explore the possibility of mandatory vaccines, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

November 28 2021 — 21:30

Looming fourth wave no surprise but SA has all the tools to beat it, says Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday suggested that SA was equipped to deal with the Omicron Covid-19 variant which was first detected in Botswana and subsequently in SA. 

He was addressing the nation on the Covid-19 outbreak for the first time in three months after the discovery of the new variant which has seen a spike in infections.

Ramaphosa suggested that SA was ready to deal with the new variant adding that it came as no surprise.

November 28 2021 — 21:17

Cyril Ramaphosa slams travel bans against SA over Omicron Covid variant

Unjustified, discriminatory and not backed by science - that is how President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to travel bans against southern African countries following the emergence of the Omicron variant. 

Countries that have imposed travel restrictions on South Africa and some southern African countries include the United Kingdom, United States, European Union members, Canada, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Seychelles, Brazil and Guatemala.

“The prohibition of travel is not informed by science, nor will it be effective in preventing the spread of this variant. The only thing the prohibition on travel will do is to further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic,” Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

November 28 2021 — 20:55

BA to resume flights to SA but Mauritius sanction strands holidaymakers

The department of international relations and co-operation has confirmed that there are South Africans stranded at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (SSR) in Mauritius.

This as international countries have begun tightening their borders after news of a new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, which was detected in SA.

Taking to its Twitter page, Dirco said the group of South Africans were informed about “impromptu quarantine requirements instead of self-isolation”.

November 28 2021 — 20:28

No new Covid-19 restrictions as government consults on mandatory vaccines — Ramaphosa

No new Covid-19 restrictions will be imposed but the government has set up a task team to explore the possibility of mandatory vaccines, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.

“Government has set up a task team that will undertake broad consultations on making vaccination mandatory for specific activities and locations,” Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation.

“The task team will report to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Vaccination chaired by the Deputy President, which will make recommendations to cabinet on a fair and sustainable approach to vaccine mandates.”

November 28 2021 — 20:03

WATCH LIVE | President Ramaphosa on SA's Covid-19 response

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation at 8pm on Sunday to give an update on SA's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

SA has seen a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections over the last week, with experts detecting a new variant “of concern”, Omicron.

Ramaphosa's address comes after a meeting of the coronavirus command council on Saturday, which drew up recommendations on how to contain the new variant.

November 28 2021 — 19:38

Covid-19 daily infections under 3,000 mark, with 18 hospital admissions

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases on Sunday reported 2,858 new Covid-19 cases, with 18 hospital admissions in the past 24 hours.

The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested is 9.8% which is higher than yesterday (9.2%). The seven-day average is 6.1%.

Six Covid-19 related deaths have been reported, bringing the total fatalities to 89,797 to date.

November 28 2021 — 18:20

Britain records 37,681 Covid-19 cases, 51 deaths on Sunday

Britain reported 37,681 more Covid-19 cases on Sunday and a further 51 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, according to official data.

On Saturday, the country recorded 39,567 new infections and 131 deaths. 

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 17:30

US readies fight against Omicron but too soon for lockdowns -Fauci

Americans should be prepared to fight the spread of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, but it is too soon to say what actions are needed, including possible mandates or lockdowns, top U.S. infectious disease official Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday.

The United States must do "anything and everything" amid likely cases of the variant, but it is "too early to say" whether we need new lockdowns or mandates, Fauci told ABC News.

"You want to be prepared to do anything and everything," he added.

The new Omicron coronavirus variant, first discovered in South Africa and announced in recent days, has now been detected in a growing number of other countries.

Fauci, in an NBC News interview on Saturday, said it was possible that it was already in the United States, although no official case has been confirmed.

U.S. health officials will be speaking again with their South African colleagues about the variant later on Sunday, he told ABC News' "This Week" program in a separate interview.

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 16:31

POLL | What do you think Ramaphosa will announce tonight?

President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on Sunday evening, with many predicting a harsher lockdown is on the cards.

SA has seen a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections over the last week, with experts detecting a new variant “of concern”, Omicron.

Ramaphosa's address comes after a meeting of the coronavirus command council on Saturday, which drew up recommendations on how to contain the new variant.

November 28 2021 — 16:25

Parliament speaker slates travel bans on SA at Brics forum

National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula lashed out on Saturday night against travel restrictions imposed on SA and other African countries after the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant this week. 

Mapisa-Nqakula was speaking at the 7th Brics Parliamentary Forum which was held on the sidelines of the 143rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Madrid, Spain.

Mapisa-Nqakula said Covid-19 was entrenching stereotypes in ways that could never have been imagined.

Travel restrictions, which were not informed by science, were essentially a punishment for world class science and responsible global citizenship as well as transparency andopenness, she said.  

November 28 2021 — 16:18

Covid booster advice should come imminently, says UK minister

UK health minister Sajid Javid said on Sunday he expected to receive advice imminently on whether the government can broaden a booster shot programme to try to weaken the impact of the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant.

The government announced new measures on Saturday to try to slow the spread of the variant, toughening rules for people arriving into Britain and ordering the use of face masks in retail settings and on transport in England.

But ministers also want to ramp up the offer of booster jabs, saying even if vaccines prove to be less effective against Omicron, they should offer better protection against it and reduce the number of hospitalisations and deaths.

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 16:04

Don't panic: Omicron symptoms seem to be mild — Doctor

Though Omicron seems to spread quickly, medical experts are so far seeing mild symptoms in sufferers of the new Covid-19 variant. 

The B.1.1.529 variant identified this week has been blamed for the sharp rise in cases as the fourth wave rolls into the country.

SA Medical Association chair Dr Angelique Coetzee said Omicron has not been shown to have severe symptoms, but said this could change in the future.

November 28 2021 — 15:33

Indonesia bans arrivals from eight African countries due to Omicron variant

 Indonesia will ban the entry of travellers who have been in eight African countries and extend quarantine times for all arrivals to curb the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, officials said on Sunday.

The ban extends to people who have been in SA, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini or Nigeria in the past 14 days.

Delegates attending G20 meetings, which Indonesia chairs, will not be affected.

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 15:17

President Ramaphosa to address the nation on Covid-19 variant Omicron

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to address the nation at 8pm on Sunday night on SA's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

This after the national coronavirus command council met on Saturday over the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant in the country.

A sharp rise in cases is believed to be driven by the newly identified B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant, which was given the name Omicron by the World Health Organisation on Friday.

The council meeting involved drawing up recommendations regarding the new variant, which will be communicated on Sunday night. 

November 28 2021 — 15:10

Denmark registers Omicron variant in two travelers from SA

Denmark has registered two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in travelers from SA, the country's infectious disease authority said in a statement on Sunday.

"This was to be expected, and our strategy is therefore to continue intensive monitoring of the infection in the country," Henrik Ullum, director of the State Serum Institute, said.

The two persons, traveling to Denmark by plane, have been put in isolation and authorities are tracing any close contacts.

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 14:30

Dutch find 13 Omicron cases among SA travellers

Dutch health authorities said on Sunday that 13 cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant have been found in the Netherlands among passengers that were on two flights from SA that arrived on Friday.

They were among 61 passengers who tested positive for Covid-19 on the two flights, which carried about 600 people.

Those who tested positive are being kept in isolation at a hotel near the airport.

-Reuters

November 28 2021 — 13:40

'Vaccination is critical now': Western Cape government 'devastated' over the travel bans

Western Cape premier Alan Winde said the extensive travel bans on SA were “extremely distressing” and will be devastating for the provincial economy.

The Western Cape government announced on Sunday it remained on high alert after the announcement of the new Omicron variant, and that it would be assisting stranded passengers at Cape Town International Airport, after the cancellation of several flights out of the country.

“We have excellent surveillance systems in place in the province, and we are closely monitoring all our metrics to ensure that we remain prepared,” Winde said.

November 28 2021 — 13:15

New coronavirus variant Omicron keeps spreading, Australia detects cases

The new Omicron coronavirus variant kept spreading around the world on Sunday, with two cases detected in Australia, even as more countries tried to seal themselves off by imposing travel restrictions.

Health officials in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, said two passengers who arrived in Sydney from Southern Africa on Saturday evening had tested positive for the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Both people were asymptomatic, fully vaccinated and in quarantine, NSW Health said. Another 12 passengers from Southern Africa were also in 14 days of hotel quarantine, while around 260 other passengers and aircrew have been directed to isolate.

November 28 2021 — 11:25

Australian woman allegedly sets quarantine hotel on fire

Australian police said on Sunday they expect to charge a 31-year-old woman with arson after she allegedly set fire to the Covid-19 quarantine hotel where she and her two children were staying.

No one was injured in the fire, which gutted much of the 11th floor of the Pacific Hotel Cairns, police said. More than 100 people were evacuated from the hotel.

The incident in the northern city of Cairns occurred as tensions rose in parts of Australia as a result of coronavirus restrictions and the latest scare caused by the emergence of the Omicron variant, first identified in Southern Africa.

November 28 2021 — 10:44

Joburg mayor to meet experts over new Covid-19 variant

Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has expressed her concern about the new Covid-19 variant reported this week.

Gauteng has experienced a sharp rise in cases believed to be driven by the newly identified B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant which was given the name Omicron by the World Health Organisation on Friday.

Phalatse will be meeting with technical experts to understand the variant to help guide the city’s response.

November 28 2021 — 09:59

Maldives bans travellers from seven African nations as Australia confirms cases of Omicron coronavirus variant

Maldives said it was barring travellers from seven African countries from Sunday over concerns about the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Travellers will not be allowed into Maldives from SA Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini, the health ministry said in a statement.

Travellers who arrived from these countries over the past two days will have to undergo 14 days of quarantine.

November 28 2021 — 06:00

Israel to ban entry of foreigners from all countries over Omicron

Israel on Saturday said it would ban the entry of all foreigners into the country, making it the first country to shut its borders completely in response to the potentially more contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, and said it would also reintroduce counter-terrorism phone-tracking technology in order to contain the spread of the variant.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement that the ban, pending government approval, would last 14 days.

Officials hope that within that period there will be more information on how effective Covid-19 vaccines are against Omicron, which was first detected in SA and has been dubbed a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation. 

-Reuters