NATIONAL CORONAVIRUS COUNCIL TO MEET OVER NEW COVID-19 SUBVARIANT

The highly transmissible XBB.1.5. subvariant was detected in the Western Cape last week.

President Cyril Ramaphosa gives a statement on the Covid-19 vaccination on the second day of an EU AU summit at The European Council Building in Brussels on February 18, 2022. Picture: Johanna Geron / AFP

Alpha

Ramushwana | 09 January 2023 15:34

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa said the National Coronavirus Command Council would be meeting on Tuesday to deliberate on measures needed to tackle the new Covid-19 Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5.

The highly transmissible subvariant was detected in the Western Cape last week.

In an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News on Monday, Ramaphosa said although the subvariant, nicknamed "Kraken", was highly transmissible, South Africans need not panic.

He said the health department and scientists would suggest preventative measures specific to the newly-detected variant.

"We are agile enough to want to have that meeting tomorrow, and thereafter there will be information that will be shared with the rest of the country.

"We have learnt from the past pandemic that we have to have greater agility and ability to preempt what our reactions will be," Ramaphosa assured.