JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving therapy for gentle COVID-19 signs after testing optimistic for the illness Sunday, his workplace stated.
Ramaphosa began feeling unwell and a take a look at confirmed COVID-19, a press release from the presidency introduced.
He’s self-isolating in Cape City and is being monitored by the South African Army Well being Service, the assertion stated. He has delegated all duties to Deputy President David Mabuza for the following week.
Ramaphosa, 69, is totally vaccinated. The assertion didn’t say whether or not he had been contaminated with the omicron coronavirus variant.
Final week, Ramaphosa visited 4 West African nations. He and all members of his delegation had been examined for COVID-19 in every of the nations in the course of the journey. Some within the delegation examined optimistic in Nigeria and returned on to South Africa. All through the remainder of the journey, Ramaphosa and his delegation examined unfavorable. Ramaphosa returned from Senegal on Dec. 8
Ramaphosa stated his personal an infection serves as a warning to all folks in South Africa to be vaccinated and stay vigilant in opposition to publicity, the assertion stated. Vaccination stays the perfect safety in opposition to extreme sickness and hospitalization, it stated.
Folks in South Africa who’ve had contact with Ramaphosa on Sunday are suggested to look at for signs or to have themselves examined, it stated.
South Africa is presently battling a speedy resurgence pushed by the omicron variant, well being officers say.
The nation recorded greater than 18,000 new confirmed circumstances Sunday evening. Greater than 70% of the circumstances are estimated to be from omicron, based on genetic sequencing surveys.
After a interval of low transmission of about 200 new circumstances per day in early November, South Africa COVID-19 circumstances started rising dramatically. On Nov. 25, scientists in southern Africa confirmed the omicron variant, which has greater than 50 mutations. Omicron seems to be extremely transmissible and has rapidly grow to be dominant within the nation. To this point, nearly all of circumstances have been comparatively gentle and the share of extreme circumstances needing oxygen have been low, say docs.