Update: 11 June, 12pm
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced on Tuesday that the new strain, officially named Nimbus or NB.1.8.1, has been flagged as a variant under monitoring, a classification used for strains that show potential to spread or mutate further.
According to the NICD, South Africa has not yet detected any cases of the Nimbus variant. The institute assured the public that it continues to actively screen for emerging Covid-19 variants through its national sentinel surveillance system. Current data shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not responsible for a significant number of outpatient or inpatient respiratory illnesses in the country at this stage.
While there is no immediate concern locally, the NICD urged South Africans to remain cautious and to maintain basic health precautions, especially with the winter flu season underway.
‘Preventing the spread of all respiratory illnesses remains essential,’ the NICD said in a statement. ‘We encourage frequent hand washing, coughing into a tissue or your elbow, maintaining distance from others when feeling unwell, and wearing a mask when appropriate, particularly when around individuals who may be at higher risk of serious illness.’
The NICD is working closely with international partners to track any developments related to NB.1.8.1, and South Africans can expect updates as more data becomes available.
For now, the NICD recommends that individuals stay up to date with vaccinations and remain vigilant, but not alarmed.
As winter tightens its grip, health experts are urging South Africans to exercise greater caution amid rising flu infections and the emergence of a new Covid-19 Omicron subvariant, NB.1.8.1, which is circulating in several countries.
Dr Vusumuzi Mzukwa, chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), spoke to Newzroom Afrika about the association’s stance, saying, ‘We have not yet made a call for wearing of masks… but what we are doing is that we are cautioning South Africans that there’s a new variant.’
He emphasised that the NB.1.8.1 subvariant has not been associated with severe illness, adding, ‘It has not… caused severe infections… The problem is not with the transmission only – it’s about those with underlying medical conditions.’
As such, Mzukwa encouraged South Africans to consider precautionary measures during flu season, particularly if experiencing symptoms. ‘If you have symptoms… it’s always good to protect those that are around you—putting on a mask, making sure that you don’t attend large gatherings,’ he said.
Covid-19, though no longer dominant, remains present in its endemic form. ‘It is in existence but in very low numbers,’ Mzukwa noted. However, variants continue to evolve, prompting international monitoring. ‘The World Health Organization have declared it a variant under monitoring,’ he explained, referring to NB.1.8.1.
Despite the emergence of new variants, there is currently ‘nothing to worry about,’ according to Mzukwa, who stressed that alarm bells would only ring ‘if there is [an] increase in hospitalisation… or if you have put pressure on the public health facilities.’
Describing the typical symptoms seen with current infections, he said, ‘You get a sore throat, headaches, fatigue, muscle pains… some gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.’
Amid widespread pandemic fatigue, Mzukwa stressed the need to maintain health literacy and personal responsibility. ‘It is critical for the Medical Association and other organizations… to continue educating the public—not to make them panic, but to say there is this that we’re facing.’
Importantly, he clarified that the rise in cases is largely seasonal flu-related, not a Covid-19 spike. ‘We are in a flu season, but it does not mean that we have a rise in COVID – it means that we’ve got a rise in the normal flu viruses.’
He urged South Africans – especially those with comorbidities – to get vaccinated against the flu. ‘If you are in a vulnerable group, you can be protected from the severe forms of flu.’
Mzukwa also reminded the public of basic precautions: ‘It’s not a good thing that you see your child has got flu symptoms but you still take the child to school… Putting up a mask was not only meant for Covid – it was also meant for flu.’
The message from SAMA is clear: there’s no need to panic, but taking simple, responsible steps now can protect the most vulnerable and ease pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
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