The National Department of Health has urged South Africans to not be concerned about the new Covid-19 variant, known as NB.1.8.1, which has mostly been detected in Asia.

According to the department spokesperson, Foster Mohale, the department and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) are working closely to monitor and detect any possible infections in the country. Currently, no cases of the new variant have been reported in South Africa.

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“There is no need for the public to panic, as current data on this variant does not suggest any increased public health risk. However, people are urged to remain vigilant at all times and continue to observe non-pharmaceutical interventions such as regular handwashing with soap and water, and sanitising hands and surfaces,” said Mohale.