South African Covid Daily Cases Double as Omicron Takes Hold

(Bloomberg) -- South Africa's daily number of confirmed Covid-19 cases almost doubled from Tuesday as the omicron variant spreads across the country. 

The country recorded 8,561 infections in the last 24 hours and a positivity rate of 16.5% on tests, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. 

In an earlier report the institute said 74% of samples that were gene sequenced in the country in November were of the omicron mutation, displacing delta as the dominant variant.

On Nov. 25 the South African government and leading scientists in the country announced the discovery of the new variant, which was later christened omicron by the World Health Organization. The strain, they said, was the most mutated yet and while tests needed to be done looked as if it could infect people who have been vaccinated or previously infected with earlier variants.

Global markets were roiled by the development and countries around the world imposed travel bans on South Africa and its neighbors.

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