What Is The Covid-19 Delta Variant?

WE TALK ABOUT

- Maxine Peters

AT THE end of June, acting health minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane confirmed the presence of a new variant of the coronavirus in South Africa.

Health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) have described it as a highly transmissible or contagious variant called Delta.

This has caused an increase in the number of Covid-19 infections, resulting in a third wave of the pandemic in the country.

Thousands of people have tested positive for the variant, with Gauteng being the province that’s hardest hit.

The rate at which the Delta variant has spread through SA has put the government on high alert.

Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa imposed tighter restrictions by introducing a level 4 lockdown for 14 days.