S Africa sees rise in COVID reinfections from omicron

South Africa is seeing an increase in COVID-19 reinfections due to the omicron variant but symptoms for reinfected patients and those infected after vaccination appear to be mild, a scientist studying the outbreak of the new strain said. The new variant, which has caused global fears of a surge in infections, was first detected in southern Africa and is fast overtaking delta to become the dominant variant in South Africa, where case numbers are rising dramatically. "Previous infection used to protect against delta but now with omicron that doesn't seem to be the case," said Anne von Gottberg, microbiologist at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases. She told an online news conference hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that she and her colleagues believed reinfections with Omicron and breakthrough infections in vaccinated patients would feature less severe symptoms.