Regulators approve Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine as virus cases surge in South Africa

*South African health regulators approve the Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine with conditions, such as satisfactory results of ongoing studies and periodic safety updates

*The Ghana Health Service has said the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus had been recorded within a community in the country

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

With over 26,000 new cases were reported Saturday, July 4, 2021, up from previous 24,000 recorded on Friday, South African regulators have approved Sinovac Biotech Limited’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine though with certain conditions.

ConsumerConnect reports the Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine is the first shot developed for the disease by a Chinese company to be sanctioned locally in the Southern African country.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in a statement Saturday said it backed the double-dose CoronaVac candidate made by Sinovac’s Life Sciences unit with conditions.

The health regulators stated such conditions include satisfactory results of ongoing studies and periodic safety updates, SAHPRA said.

COVID-19 infection cases increase as the Delta variant spreads in South Africa

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority is the organisation in charge of regulating the use of all health products throughout the country.

The statement said that the acceptance, which has similar terms to those given to other vaccine manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson, comes as South Africa (SA) this week opened its immunisation roll-out to people aged 50 and older.

It is also noted the country is facing a severe third wave as the more infectious delta variant of the disease becomes widespread and only about 6% of the national population has been vaccinated.

CoronaVac is indicated for people between the ages of 18 and 59 years and has a provisional shelf life of two years when stored at 2–8 degrees Celsius (35.6-46.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and protected from light, the regulator said.

SAHPRA in the statement also said that it considered the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) emergency use listing report on the vaccine in giving its approval.

Resurgence of COVID-19 setting record numbers in SA

Meanwhile, South Africa’s resurgence of COVID-19 is setting record numbers of new daily cases, centered in Johannesburg, and driven by the Delta variant, health officials said Sunday, July 4.

Over 26,000 new cases were reported Saturday, up from 24,000 the previous day, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.

The figure surpassed the highest number of new cases in previous waves and quickly bringing many hospitals to capacity, agency report said.

Likewise, more than 13,800 COVID-19 patients are currently in South African hospitals where some facilities are canceling elective surgeries to free up beds and healthcare workers.

A government official stated the death toll has risen above 63,000, although statistics on excess deaths suggest the country’s actual number of virus fatalities may be more than 170,000, AP report stated.

South Africa’s 2 million cases account for more than 30% of the cases reported by Africa’s 54 countries, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

ConsumerConnect had reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently increased restrictions in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

Such measures the government has applied to tackle the worsening Coronavirus cases in the country include extending a nighttime curfew, banning the sale of alcohol, closing many schools and stopping travel into and out of Gauteng, the country’s most populous province that includes Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.

Gauteng accounts for more than 60 percent of the new cases and officials fear other provinces and cities will soon follow.

Though from a slow start in the vaccination campaign, South Africa’s vaccination drive is picking up pace, but is still far behind developed countries of the world, according to report.

Yet, report has indicated that over 3.3 million of South Africa’s 60 million people have received at least a jab of the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines till date. The inoculation campaign started with healthcare workers, those aged 60 and over and schoolteachers.

Ghana records COVID-19 Delta variant infection

In a related development, Ghana confirmed a community infection of the Delta variant of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Friday, July 2, the country’s Ministry of Information said in a statement.

The government stated: “The Ghana Health Service informed the COVID-19 Task Force on Friday that the Delta Variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus had been recorded within a community in the latest round of genomic sequencing.”

Although the statement did not specify the location and the number of these infections in the affected community in the country, the ministry said, “the relevant agencies are taking the necessary steps to contain the spread, and the positive persons are in good health.”

Ghana first confirmed six cases of COVID-19 Delta variants June 22 among passengers arriving in the country, agency report stated.

The former Gold Coast, Friday also confirmed 85 new infections, thus bringing the country’s national count to 95,914 with 796 deaths.

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