By Kazeem Zainab Omowunmi
A new variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected in South Africa, sparking concerns of a potential new wave of infections. The variant, known as BA.2, has been identified in several provinces in the country.
According to health officials, BA.2 is a subvariant of the Omicron strain, which was first detected in November 2021. While the severity of BA.2 is still unknown, experts warn that it may be more contagious than previous variants.
The detection of BA.2 comes as South Africa experiences a surge in new COVID-19 cases, with over 1,000 new infections reported in the past 24 hours. Health officials are urging citizens to remain vigilant and to follow public health guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified of the new variant and is closely monitoring the situation. The organization has urged countries to enhance their surveillance and sequencing efforts to detect and respond to any new variants.
As the pandemic continues to evolve, health experts are urging people to remain vigilant and to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.