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Omicron-stricken South Africa may be glimpse into the future

Virus Outbreak South Africa
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Jerome Delay/AP
An Orange Farm, South Africa, resident receives her jab against COVID-19 Friday Dec. 3, 2021 at the Orange Farm multipurpose center. South Africa has accelerated its vaccination campaign a week after the discovery of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Virus Outbreak South Africa
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The new omicron variant appears to be driving a dramatic surge in South Africa, providing the world a glimpse of where the pandemic might be headed.

New cases in South Africa have burgeoned from about 200 a day in mid-November to more than 16,000 on Friday. That is still below the 25,000 daily cases that South Africa reported in the previous surge, in June and July.

Little is known about the new variant, but a researcher says the spike in South Africa suggests it might be more contagious.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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