​​​Rofhiwa Marubini
People who have been infected with the Beta variant of COVID-19 can still get infected with the now dominant Delta variant, regardless of whether they have received the vaccine.
This was confirmed by Acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane and Deputy Director-General (DDG) in the department  Dr Anban Pillay last week.
Pillay said the Delta variant, which has been detected in 85 countries, was highly transmissible and was rapidly becoming dominant in South Africa.
"If you were infected previously with the Beta variant, it is quite likely now that if you are exposed to the Delta variant that you could be reinfected ... whether you've had the vaccine or not," said Pillay.
The Delta variant is a version of Sars-CoV-2, a variant which is more transmissible compared to the previous variants. The virus was first detected in India late last year.
The key symptoms of the variant include headache, sore throat, runny nose and sneezing.
The Gauteng Provincial Government is working hard to ensure additional resources are provided to support the healthcare system against the virus.
The province is engaging with AFROX daily to ensure the sufficient supply of oxygen.
The rise in hospitalisation, is putting pressure in both public and private hospitals due to the high number of infections.
The provincial government continues to urge people to continue to adhere to the non-pharmaceutical interventions.