S African data suggest Omicron symptoms mild: WHO

Early data indicate that hospitalisations across South Africa remain low, even though Covid-19 cases in the region have surged following the emergence of the Omicron variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Weekly Covid-19 cases across the African continent surged by 93pc to more than 107,000 in the week ending on 5 December. Five countries accounted for 86pc of the cases reported over the past week. Southern Africa recorded the highest increase with a 140pc hike mainly driven by an uptick in South Africa.

But emerging data from South Africa indicate that Omicron may cause less severe illness. Between 14 November and 4 December, intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy in South African hospitals was only 6.3pc. This is very low compared with July, when the country recorded a peak in admissions linked to the Delta variant.

Over the same two-week period, out of more than 1,200 admissions in one of the health districts most impacted by Omicron, some 98 patients were receiving supplemental oxygen and only four were on ventilation. But this is very preliminary data with a small sample size and most of the people admitted to the health facilities were under the age of 40. "As the clinical profile of patients changes, the impact of Omicron may change," the WHO warned.

Africa currently accounts for 46pc of the nearly 1,000 Omicron cases reported by 57 countries across different regions of the world. So far, 10 African countries have reported cases. Despite the widespread global presence of Omicron, more than 70 countries have imposed travel bans that are mainly targeting southern African countries — some of which have yet to report any Omicron cases.

"With Omicron now present in nearly 60 countries globally, travel bans that mainly target African countries are hard to justify," said the WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti. "Through the diligent surveillance efforts of African scientists, the new variant of concern was first detected on this continent, but it is unclear if transmission was taking place silently in other regions," he said.

The WHO called for science-based public health measures to counter the spread of Covid-19. "The travel restrictions come at the height of the end-of-year tourist season, ravaging Africa's economies, with a knock-on impact that is potentially devastating to the health of Africans," Moeti said.

So far only 7.8pc of Africa's population has been fully vaccinated, although the pace of vaccination has increased in recent months. Many African countries have yet to administer most of their vaccine supplies, with only six of Africa's 54 countries having reached the WHO's target of vaccinating 40pc of the population by the end of this year.

"Uneven distribution of Covid-19 vaccines globally is creating an ideal environment for variants to emerge and spread explosively and regions with the least access to vaccines seem likely to suffer the most," said Moeti. "With the end-of-year travel and festivities upon us, limited vaccination, rising Covid-19 cases and the new variant paint an ominous picture for our region."

By Elaine Mills