South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is being treated for COVID

According to his administration, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is seeking treatment after testing positive for COVID-19. According to a statement, the 69-year-old is isolating himself in Cape Town due to moderate symptoms.

Since the novel Omicron variety was discovered in November, there has been an increase in infections in South Africa.

Despite the fact that Omicron is more transmissible than previous strains such as Delta, research shows that the risk of serious illness and mortality is lowered.

According to the South African presidency, Mr Ramaphosa tested positive on Sunday, and all responsibilities have been handed to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week.

The president got sick, according to the statement, after attending the funeral of former President FW de Klerk on Sunday. People who have had recent contact with him have been encouraged to keep an eye out for signs of his illness or get tested. He’d just returned from a journey to Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Senegal that lasted seven days.

According to the presidency, Mr Ramaphosa, who was vaccinated in February, and members of his staff were tested for COVID in every nation they visited. The president argues that his illness should serve as a warning to everyone to practise good public health and get vaccinated.

The World Health Organization was notified of the unusual Omicron strain on November 24 by South African experts. The United Nations Public Health Organization later designated Omicron as a variant of concern, warning that vaccines against it might be ineffective.

Several governments around the world have imposed travel bans on South Africa and other neighbouring countries, but this hasn’t stopped the new form from spreading. According to a new study, those who had previously been infected or vaccinated were still susceptible to the Omicron variety, although they were less likely to become critically ill or die.