ASIKATHATHWA isinqumo sokuvala izwe yize kusanda kutholakala uhlobo olusha lweCovid olubizwa ngeB.1.1.529.
Lezi zindaba zivezwe wuNgqongqoshe wezeMpilo kuzwelonke, uDkt Joe Phaahla, esithangamini esiphuthumayo sayizolo.
UPhaahla uthe ukutholakala kwegciwane elisha kubamangazile ngoba bebelindele ukuthi izwe lingene esiwombeni sesine seCovid-19 ngoDisemba noma ngoJanuwari.
Uveze ukuthi igciwane elisha lidlange kakhulu eGauteng njengoba u-80% wabanalo ukulesiya sifundazwe.
Mayelana nezinhlelo zokuvalwa kwezwe ukuze kunqandwe ukubhebhetheka kwaleli gciwane, uPhaahla uthe abakasithathi isinqumo ngoba leli gciwane lisanda kuvela.
“Sizoba nemihlangano nezinhlaka ezihlukene ezibhekelele izinhlelo zokulwa neCovid-19. Sizobheka nocwaningo olwenziwa wososayensi bethu bese umengameli nekomidi leCovid-19 bahlangane ukuze kuhlahlwe indlela eya phambili. Okwamanje sibize lesi sithangami esiphuthumayo ukuqinisekisa ukuthi yebo, likhona igciwane elisha elibizwa ngeB.1.1.529,” kusho uPhaahla.
Ukhumbuze izintatheli ukuthi ngaphambi kokuthi kuvalwe izwe, uhulumeni uye abheke umthelela walokhu empilweni yabantu, emnothweni nasemisebenzini yabantu.
Uthe leli gciwane liletha izingqinamba ezinhlelweni zokuhlangana kwabantu, ukuvakasha nezinye izinhlelo.
Ucele abantu ukuthi baqhubeke nokugqoka izifonyo, ukuqhelelana, ukugomela iCovid-19 nokugeza izandla.
USolwazi Tulio de Oliviera, obhekelele izinhlelo zokulwa neCovid-19 kuleli, uthe kusukela ngoLwesibili bebecwaninga igciwane elisha futhi bakhathazekile ngendlela elizishintsha ngayo.
Uthe leli gciwane litholakale eNingizimu Afrika, Botswana naseHong Kong.
“Sikhathazekile ngokushintsha kwaleli gciwane ngoba lidlula amanye esesike sawabona. Okwamanje asinalo ulwazi lokuthi liwuhlasela kanjani umzimba. Sisazocwaninga nanokuthi lizoba namuphi umthelela kwabaphila neHIV,” kusho u-de Oliviera.
Uthe namhlanje bazoba nomhlangano neWorld Health Organisation ukuyazisa ngokutholakala kwaleli gciwane elisha.
UDkt Richard Lessells, osebenzisana no-de Oliviera nabanye ososayensi, uthe zizonyuka izibalo zabaguliswa yileli gciwane futhi ososayensi bazosebenza ngamandla ukuthola lonke ulwazi ngokulwa nalo.