South Africa's Ramaphosa back at work after COVID-19 self-isolation

21st Dec 2021 | Source: Reuters

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses a press conference after the G20 Compact with Africa conference at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany August 27, 2021.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has returned to work after finishing a week of self-isolation due to testing positive for COVID-19, his office said on Monday.

Ramaphosa, who was given Johnson & Johnson's vaccine in February, tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 12 and received treatment for mild symptoms.

"The President has returned to duty and will chair the final cabinet meeting for 2021 on Wednesday," the presidency said in a statement.

In the past few days, a nationwide outbreak believed to be linked to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been infecting more than 20,000 people a day, even though the number of new recorded infections dropped below that over the weekend.

Reporting by Emma Rumney and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Kevin Liffey