South Africa 'may have passed the peak' of Omicron wave
![A man receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Johannesburg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uyWeVe7n6AQ3XtEXjLqBTM-415-80.jpg)
Authorities in South Africa say the peak of the country's fourth wave of COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant appears to have passed, according to The Washington Post.
"All indicators suggest the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level," a statement said following a cabinet meeting, per The Guardian. "While the Omicron variant is highly transmissible, there has been lower rates of hospitalization than in previous waves."
The cabinet said the "marginal increase" in fatalities was low compared to prior COVID-19 waves, per the Post, and the country is now easing some COVID-19 restrictions. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 was originally identified in South Africa. The country saw 89,781 infections during the week ending on Dec. 25, down from 127,753 a week prior, BBC News reports.
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The news comes as the United States on Thursday again shattered its record for daily COVID-19 cases with more than 580,000, up from 488,000 the day prior.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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