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Nzimande allocates R25m for new Covid-19 research Updated
Nokukhanya N Mntambo
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The Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has allocated R25 million towards research on the new Covid-19 variant.
This comes after the Health Department identified a new variant of the Covid-19 virus in South Africa.
Scientists and researchers have been tasked with establishing the virus’ new emerging trends.
Minister Blade Nzimande says the department will play an active role in the fight against the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
“All really that I wanted to say is to point out that this is one example of the whole of government approach and cooperation. As the department of Science and Innovation is very much part of this project through our strategic health innovation partnership.”
Scientists Discover Severe Coronavirus Strain in South Africa That Puts Younger People at Risk
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South African health minister Zweli Mkhize has confirmed the finding of a severe variant of the novel Coronavirus by scientists. According to him, this new strain could explain the rapid spread of the second wave that is affecting younger people in the country.
The strain, known as the 501.V2 Variant, was found by the South African researchers. All the gathered data related to the new variant have been sent to the World Health Organization (WHO) said Mkhize in a statement.
A team of scientists led by the Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) in Durban has sequenced hundreds of the virus samples since the COVID-19 pandemic began. During their research, the researchers noticed that a particular variant has increasingly dominated the findings of the samples collected in the last two months, said the minister.
New Covid-19 variant identified in South Africa as numbers rise
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Covid-19 infections continue to spread rapidly amid a second wave in South Africa, with the country recording an additional 8,725 confirmed cases in the last 24 hours.
This is after the country reported 9,131 cases on Thursday, and topped the 10,000 mark of new cases on Wednesday (16 December) for the first time since August.
Regrettably, 274 more Covid-19 related deaths have been reported: Eastern Cape 92 , Free State 6, Gauteng 15, Kwa-Zulu Natal 56, Mpumalanga 4 and Western Cape 101.
This brings the total deaths to 24,285 deaths, while recoveries now stand at 783 818, said health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize on Friday.
âââ 12:25 Sat, 19 Dec 2020
The Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation has allocated R25 million towards research on the new Covid-19 variant.
This comes after the Health Department identified a new variant of the Covid-19 virus in South Africa.
Scientists and researchers have been tasked with establishing the virusâ new emerging trends.
Minister Blade Nzimande says the department will play an active role in the fight against the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
âAll really that I wanted to say is to point out that this is one example of the whole of government approach and cooperation. As the Department of Science and Innovation is very much part of this project through our strategic health innovation partnership.â