Cape Town - Medical experts have reported an increase in positive Covid-19 cases, predicting that if numbers continue to rise a sixth wave may be on the cards.
This follows promising reports that there were no suggestions of a looming Covid-19 wave, with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases previously reporting that levels of the virus were at an all time low and have remained stable for several weeks.
Solidarity Doctors Network Advisory Board member, Dr Angelique Coetzee, said she has seen an increase in positive cases in her own surgery.
“I have seen seven patients in less than 24 hours positive with various clinical pictures.
“The next thing that is troubling, is that there are only two patients who never had Covid before but were vaccinated, the rest were vaccinated and had Covid before.
“We will see what is going to develop within the next week or two and what clinical pictures we are going to see and what will be the dominant symptoms these patients have.
“Two of the patients don’t really fit Omicron symptoms for now. I also saw a patient having loss of taste, something we did not see with Omicron. Going forward we will have to watch the space.
“To see an uptick all of a sudden after nearly six weeks of no cases is a concern.
“This is a concern, not yet to the public but to doctors, and we may need to ask doctors to start testing again,” said Coetzee.
Virologist Barry Schoub said if numbers continued to increase, a sixth wave may come sometime this month or early next month.
“The pattern of the Covid-19 outbreak has been one of cyclical waves, with periods of low activity between the waves.
Should this pattern continue we could expect the next wave, the 6th wave, some time this month or early next month.
“There has apparently very recently been an increase in cases and an increase in virus recovered form wastewater surveillance programmes. This maybe the start of the next wave, but right now it is still too early to tell,” he said.
Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said they were closely monitoring the situation.
“The department has seen an uptick in numbers but feel it is too soon to talk about a wave at this moment. “Though we are closely monitoring the situation we don’t want to cause an unnecessary pressing of the panic button. “The fact of the matter is, lifting restrictions did not mean the pandemic is over, hence we continue to urge and remind people to vaccinate and also get booster shots,” said Mohale.
Cape Times