There is a new wave of covid 19 in South Africa, the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) warned on Tuesday.
"The fifth wave has arrived. Take care," the genomics research centre headed by virologist Tulio de Oliveira, who became famous for spotting the Beta and Omicron variants, warned on Twitter.
South Africa is officially the continent's most affected country by Covid 19.
The number of new infections in the last 24 hours is still up compared to the last few days, with 5,062 cases, 15 deaths and 83 hospitalizations, according to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD).
With a ratio of 6.3 new cases per 100,000 population and a positivity rate of over 10% (16.9%), "based on previous waves, these are thresholds indicating a continued increase," Ridhwaan Suliman, a researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a government research institute, added on Twitter.
The figures recorded in recent days are the highest in nearly three months and significantly higher than a fortnight ago.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla had already expressed his "concern" last week.
In early March, the country went 48 hours without a single Covid-19-related death, the first time this had happened since 2020. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in early April that all legal restrictions related to the pandemic had been lifted.
The last wave of the disease resulted in greater transmission of the virus but fewer severe cases.
South Africa, where less than 45% of the adult population is fully vaccinated out of a population of nearly 60 million, has recorded more than 3.7 million cases and some 100,350 deaths in accumulation.
-Africa News
Central Africa
DR Congo's former health minister cleared of covid funds fraud
A former Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prosecuted and briefly detaine...
Southern Africa
Portuguese president on a state visit to South Africa
South Africa's leader welcomed Tuesday (June 6) his Portuguese counterpart. Cyril Ramaphosa detaile...
Economy
Kenya's content creators reject tax proposals
Kenya’s finance bill of 2023 contains a raft of proposals that intend to expand the country’s...
East Africa
Ethiopia thwarts Shebab attack on its Somali border
The Ethiopian army on Wednesday "thwarted" an attack by Somali Islamist Shebab fighters against a bo...
West Africa
Equatorial Guinea: WHO declares end to Marburg virus outbreak
The UN's health agency on Thursday declared an end to a nearly four-month outbreak of Marburg virus ...
Mining
Ivanhoe reaches record copper production at DRC mine
Ivanhoe Mines achieved a monthly output record of 35 856 tonnes (t) of copper concentrate in May a...
North Africa
Tunisia: Migration, economic crisis top agenda of visiting Italian PM
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni landed in Tunis Tuesday (June 6) for a day of talks with leaders duri...
Business
Bees help Kenyan farmers stop elephants from feeding on crops
Farmers in Kenya are using bees to prevent elephants from raiding their crops as part a project prom...
Opinion
Can Africa succeed in green industrialisation?
Africa could lose up to $50 billion by 2040 due to the effects of climate change, even though it emi...