World News | South Africa Not Tightening COVID Rules: Minister

Johannesburg, Jan 10 (PTI) South Africa will not impose travel restrictions on any country, nor will it re-introduce any internal curbs amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in China, Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced on Tuesday.

“We have consulted our ministerial advisory committees and also the World Health Organisation in Geneva and the (African) regional office in Brazzaville," Phaahla said during a media briefing.

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"In both cases, the advice that we have received is that there is no need to impose any travel restrictions on any country, including the People's Republic of China. Also, we do not need to re-impose any restrictions internally in our own country,” he said.

The minister said they had been advised though to increase the rate of testing.

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“We believe that the dominant variant of concern in China and in the world remains Omicron and that the immunity of South Africans from vaccination and natural immunity is still very strong. (This) puts us in a better position and less risk,” Phaahla said.

The minister said media reports about hospitals and crematoriums in China being overwhelmed have caused a lot of panic in many parts of the world, including in South Africa.

As a result, several countries have imposed special requirements for travellers coming from China.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)