South Africa has lifted overnight curfew rules, with officials saying the country may have passed the peak of its fourth wave of COVID-19 infections. A government statement said the Omicron variant, while highly transmissible, had seen lower hospitalisation rates than previous waves.
It added that there had been a marginal increase in the number of deaths. The variant, first reported by South Africa last month, is spreading fast elsewhere, leading to widespread curbs.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of a “tsunami” of infections from Delta and Omicron variants that could overwhelm health systems. However, a statement following a special cabinet meeting in South Africa revealed a decline in cases and hospital admission rates in nearly all provinces nationwide.
For the week ending December 25, 2021, the number of confirmed infections stood at 89,781—down from 127,753 the week before.