The second wave is taking out whole families - Covid latest

Prof Salim Abdool Karim says the efficiency of the new variant means that whole families are being infected during the 2nd wave.

The current Covid-19 second wave is following much the same pattern as last year's first wave according to experts.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim from the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid spoke to CapeTalk's Refilwe Moloto about the latest findings.

He says despite initial concerns that superspreader events were leading to increased and more severe cases of Covid-19 among young people that doesn't seem to be the case.

There's no increased cases in young people, there's no increased severity in young people and there's no increased deaths in young people.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid

The first and second wave are virtually the same.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid

Prof Karim spoke about the difference between the previous dominant variant of the virus and the new, more 'efficient' dominant virus SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351.

This virus, when it attaches to a human cell, is able to do so more strongly.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid

In families, in the first wave, one person might get infected, now whole families get infected because the virus is so much more efficient in infecting people.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid

Speaking about the possibility of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19, Prof Karim says the problem lies in the fact 'there are no really good studies'.

At the time we considered it, the evidence was insufficient to support a recommendation for its use.

Prof Salim Abdool Karim, Ministerial Advisory Committee on Covid

Listen to the full update on the second wave of coronavirus from Prof Salim Abdool Karim - click below:

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