South Africa sees no need for new Covid-19 restrictions at present — health minister

South Africa does not see the need to implement new Covid-19 restrictions in the country or for travellers despite rising cases in other parts of the world, health minister Joe Phaahla said on Tuesday.

However, the country will increase Covid-19 testing and reinvigorate its vaccination campaign in light of rising global infections, he said at a media briefing.

Phaahla said adjustments would soon be made to rules for vaccine booster doses and the timing between jabs.

Last week, South Africa detected its first case of the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant of Covid-19, but it is not expected to cause an increase in hospitalisations, infectious diseases expert Michelle Groome said at the same briefing.

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