Neelam Rahim – neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 minute read
16 September 2022
12:40 pm

The Health Ministry has warned the public about a misleading message about a new Covid-19 variant. The ministry was reacting to an overstated message circulating on social media platforms about detecting a new sub-variant of the Covid-19 Omicron variant BA.2.75.

Speaking to Radio Islam International Ministry spokesperson Foster Mohale confirms that we have been dealing with two pandemics since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He stated the first was the Covid-19 pandemic itself. The second was fake news and misinformation, which became a counter pandemic in a pandemic.

Hence the ministry warns the public regarding the message circulated on social media and other internet spaces.

“The message claims a new deadly variant called BA.2.75, which is untrue.”

Foster further confirms that the sub-variant was only detected once in a sample since July 2022. It has not been found in any sample since, which means it is not considered a variant of concern but rather a variant of interest.

The matter of interest includes researching the variant on how it will behave and spread.

Foster tells Radio Islam the variant is not one the public has to be worried about as it is not preferred to be severe or impactful.

Listen below to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Foster Mohale on Radio Islam’s podcast.