Tag Archive for: Blade Nzimande

Andrew Stegmann
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Science and Innovation Department to Fund New COVID-19 Variant Study

The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will pump R25 million towards the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) as scientists grapple with the new Covid-19 variant.

Higher Education, Science and Innovation minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, announced this on Friday, during a joint briefing with the Department of Health and scientists.

“This was in the wake of the latest surveillance results that shows a worrying trend of the highly transmittable Covid-19 variant first identified in Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, and moved to the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and is now the dominant and possibly the only Covid-19 variant responsible for the current surge,” said the department.

According to the department, the R25 million of the R45 million required over the next 12 months will help scientists to complete the sequencing of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 10 000 genomes in South Africa and Africa.

A group of scientists discovered the new “unusual” coronavirus variant called 501.V2, which is spreading rapidly in the country.

According to health department minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, this variant is seeing a larger proportion of younger patients with no comorbidities develop serious illness.

“The evidence that has been collated, therefore, strongly suggests that that the current second wave we are experiencing is being driven by this new variant.”

The department said the grant will be used to understand the spread of Covid-19 and other virus lineages on the continent while also supporting the clinical and laboratory investigations of the genomic variation in the country.

“This is in line with the use of pathogen genomics for monitoring of transmission dynamics of infectious agents and potential vaccine escape is of crucial importance to South Africa, Africa and the world,” said minister Nzimande.

Nzimande said that these funds will be used to acquire equipment to automate the sequencing system and to buy reagents and other laboratory consumables.

Meanwhile, in April 2020, DSI through the Strategic Health Innovation Partnership funded KRISP for the project, ‘Spatial and Genomic monitoring of COVID-19 cases in South Africa to fight the flames before they become a wildfire’ to a tune of R10 million.

“This resulted in the establishment of the Network for Genomic Surveillance in South Africa in June 2020, with the goal to sequence the genome of at least 10 000 SARS-CoV-2 samples to inform the public health response in South Africa, and to use spatial and genomic monitoring of Covid-19 cases to help the government to identify hotspots of transmission and control the local epidemic.”

Meanwhile, the minister said the next step is to get a better understanding of whether there is any clinical and epidemiological evidence to suggest increased transmissibility and/or pathogenicity of the virus and/or vaccine escape.

KRISP

KRISP was established in 2017, situated at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine.

The department describes KRISP as a cutting-edge genomics centre offering a range of DNA sequencing, precision medicine testing, bioinformatics services and technologies to academic, industrial and commercial users.

The centre is a platform of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), an agency of the DSI – a flagship programme of the South African Medical Research Council has established an excellent scientific infrastructure.

“Their vision is to challenge the status quo and establish one of the worlds most advanced and respected genetic sequencing platforms, to enable and support world-class genomics research and diagnostics services in Africa,” he said.

Nzimande said the consortium capacitated five key National Health Laboratory Services and their associated academic institutions to produce and analyse completely viral genomes in South Africa in near real-time.

The main investigators include Professor Tulio de Oliveira, Professor Carolyn Williamson, Dr Jinal Bhiman, Dr Nokukhanya Msomi, Professor Diana Hardie, Dr Marvin Hsiao, Professor Nicky Goedhals and Professor Susan Engelbrecht.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

New Regulations as South Africa Waits for Updated Lock-down Plan

Government has published a number of new and revised regulations as the country waits to hear its plan around lifting the five-week-long countrywide lockdown.

President Cyril Ramaphosa met with his cabinet on Monday (20 April) to finalise a set of measures to respond to the impact of the lockdown as well as plans for the country once the lockdown is lifted.

While cabinet is expected to make a statement on its new plan on Tuesday, a number of government departments have continued to introduce new lockdown regulations  –  with some proving to be more controversial than others.

Below are some of the new regulations announced over the last week.

Ban on ‘hot foods’ 

Arguably the most controversial new change was published on Monday and prohibited a ban on the sale of all ‘hot foods’ by essential retailers.

The directive was effectively only a line long and included no other changes, giving the impression that the government has gone out of its way to introduce this specific ban.

There is still no official explanation as to why the government has banned the sale of such food. Business group Sakeliga has indicated that it will challenge the new amendment, slamming the ‘arbitrary’ introduction of regulations by the government.

“If something is not done immediately, even entirely legal, essential businesses may be unsure of their status,” it said.

“We would like to see a more nuanced, consistent and thoughtful approach from government.

“It is important to note that South Africa’s restrictions on these businesses are far more extreme than what is warranted by the vast majority of international expertise – including recommendations by bodies such as the World Health Organisation.”

List of essential goods expanded

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande has added a number of items to the list of essential goods which may be sold during the country’s lockdown so that the country’s higher education institutions such as universities and colleges can continue to function.

Nzimande said that the transport of these goods between suppliers and higher education institutions as well as between institutions and individuals will now be declared an essential service.

The list of items include:

  • Information and Communication Technology devices (such as desktops, laptops, modems and other devices) for education purposes;
  • Gasses, liquids and chemicals used in the preservation of biological samples and maintenance of equipment and machinery;
  • Animal feed for laboratory and farm animals.

Petty criminals to be released? 

The Department of Correctional Facilities has indicated that it is considering the release of criminals who have committed ‘petty offences’ in a bid to avoid overcrowding in the country’s prisons.

The country’s lockdown regulations allow for ‘an accused person arrested for a petty offence must be released and warned to appear in court on a future date’. However, it appears that government has not utilised this provision up until this point.

Speaking to TimesLive, a correctional services spokesperson said that overcrowding in the country’s prisons continues to pose a challenge to practising physical distancing to limit the impact of the coronavirus.

“Inmates detained for minor offences with a bail option (they cannot afford) are being considered for placement on warning by courts. This is an ongoing process,” the spokesperson said.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].