South Africa is taking a calm but cautious approach after it was confirmed that a new Covid-19 sub-variant was detected in the country.

The new Omicron sub-variant – XBB.1.5 – was discovered by researchers from the University of Stellenbosch on Saturday. The patient was, however, already tested on November 27 and his/her identity is unknown as the sample was randomly selected for gene sequencing.

This was confirmed by Health Minister Joe Phaahla in a media briefing earlier today.

Phaahla said South Africa will not introduce travel restrictions, as has been done by some countries, but that Covid-19 testing and the government’s vaccination campaign will instead be intensified.

He said that while XBB.1.5 has been detected in several countries, including the USA, there has been no marked change in the severity of illness.

No new restrictions

Phaahla says South Africa has consulted the World Health Organisation, which has agreed that there is no need to impose travel restrictions or other internal restrictions. Instead, the following precautionary measures – which have been approved by the National Command Council chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa – will be taken:

People with known Covid symptoms must be tested.

Positive Covid-19 test must be sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for genomic sequencing.

The surveillance of wastewater testing by the NICD must be increased, including the testing of wastewater of planes from countries with a high Covid-19 burden.

The vaccination campaign must once again be intensified.

High immunity in SA

According to Dr Michelle Groome, the head of the NICD’s unit for public health surveillance and response, it appears that South Africans have good immunity against the Omicron variant and sub-variants because of previous infection and vaccination.

Phaahla said XBB 1.5 is one of around 100 sub-variants of the Omicron virus, which – according to Groome – has been in the USA since October. She says while some data sources say it is responsible for around 40% of infections in the USA, it may not become the dominant sub-variant in South Africa.

SAnews.gov.za reports that by last Monday, 38.2 million vaccines had been administered and 19 million people are fully vaccinated.

In his briefing today, Phaahla said adjustments will soon be made to the qualifying criteria for booster shots, including the time between shots and the age of people targeted.

“Vaccination remains the bedrock to protect against any variant or sub-variant of Covid-19 and not travel restrictions or any new restrictions at this stage,” he said.

Covid stats

In December, Covid-19 cases nationally surpassed four million, with a recovery rate of 97.2%. However, the NICD says the number of Covid-19 cases in South Africa is currently low.

“Wastewater surveillance by the NICD shows low levels of SARS-CoV-2 [coronaviruses] in wastewater,” said Groome at the briefing.

Phaahla said that there was an increase in Covid-19 infections worldwide in December, especially in China – where there was also an increase in deaths. The situation in China could largely be a result of the lifting of the country’s strict lockdown restrictions, which had resulted in limited natural immunity.

Global Covid-19 cases were up by around 25% in December, as compared with November (14.5 million new infections in December), and there was a 12% increase in the fatality rate, said Phaahla.

“[The department] is closely monitoring the Covid-19 situation in China and other parts of the world and will issue an alert if the country needs to take extra precautions. There is no need for panic. We urge people to vaccinate and get booster shots to enhance their immunity,” the department said earlier this month.