As South Africa battles the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases has confirmed that SA has now recorded 8 511 new COVID cases, bringing the number of infections to 3 316 585 since March 2020. The death toll currently sits at 90 453 after 105 more individuals have passed away due to COVID complications since Sunday, reports IOL.
As the virus continues to wreak havoc across the world, the World Health Organization chief had stated on Monday that the world needs to stand together and make the difficult decisions needed to end the COVID-19 pandemic within the next year.
“2022 must be the year we end the pandemic,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.
As cases continue to surge, Tedros stressed that it was better to cancel events “now and celebrate later than to celebrate now and grieve later. We have to focus now on ending this pandemic.” This comes as the world looks to spend some quality time with friends and family during the festive season.
While avoiding large gatherings remains on the list of things to avoid this festive season, Tedros also insisted that it would be possible to halt the pandemic if we utilise the tools at our disposal, including vaccines, mark-wearing and social distancing, reports EWN.
Along with this, ending the inequality that comes with access to vaccines is another primary method of hating the pandemic.
Meanwhile, ENCA has indicated that South Africans can now do their Christmas shopping and receive their jab as malls become the new vaccination spot. However, this has only been rolled out in the City of Tshwane.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc Gallery