Please note that this is simply data that was self reported by patients, this is in no way exhaustive nor is it peer reviewed. It is therefore up to the reader to make their own interpretations of the symptoms reported. Currently, this data is being analysed by a researcher, whose findings will be reported in an upcoming newsletter.
Please note the following facts about the graphs to aid in interpretation:
Dates were chosen according to the reported COVID-19 new variant waves in South Africa and were advised by our in-house epidemic expert. For ease of reading, numbers were rounded up that were = 0.5 or above, or rounded down if they were below 0.5
Graph 1. Omicron COVID-19 Strain
✔ These tests were done between 19 January 2022 to 31st May 2022.
✔ Patients may have experienced more than 1 symptom, thus when reading the graphs interpret it as 63% of patients experienced coughing, for example
✔ 65.4% of positive patients experienced symptoms and 34.6% reported as asymptomatic (positive but experiencing no symptoms)
✔ Those that were testing positive for a current infection during this time period were using both Rapid Antigen and PCR tests
✔ Tests were conducted in Hillcrest (KZN) (1792, 49.5%), Cape Town (WC) (1153, 36.4%), Johannesburg (GP) (402, 14.0%)
✔ 14.4% had chronic conditions, but 85.6% reported that they did not have any chronic conditions.
✔ 37.1% reported they knew they’d been exposed to COVID-19, but 62.9% reported they had no idea who exposed them.
Graph 2. Delta COVID-19 Strain
✔ These tests were done between the 1st of May 2021 to November 18th 2021.
✔ Patients may have experienced more than 1 symptom, thus when reading the graphs interpret it as 29% of patients experienced fever, for example.
✔ Those that were testing positive for a current infection during this time period were using both PCR and antigen testing.
✔ The results of those antigen testing out of the total provided were: positive (713 – 13.2%), negative (4699 people – 86.7%).
✔ 37.6% of positive patients reported symptoms and 62.4% reported as asymptomatic.
✔ Tests were conducted in Hillcrest (KZN) (6302 people – 34.0%), Cape Town (WC) (10368, 56.0%), Johannesburg (GP) (1849 people – 10.0%).
✔ When asked if they had received a COVID-19 vaccine: (3682 people – 29.6%) reported yes, whilst (8741 people – 70.4%) reported no.
Graph 3. Beta COVID-19 Strain
✔ Numbers were rounded up that equalled to 0.5 or above, or rounded down if they were below 0.5.
✔ These tests were done between the 1st of November 2020 to 31 April 2021.
✔ Patients may have experienced more than 1 symptom, thus when reading the graphs interpret it as 27% of patients experienced fever, for example.
✔ Those that were testing positive for a current infection during this time period were exclusively using PCR testing
35% of positive patients experienced symptoms and 65% reported as asymptomatic.
✔ Tests were conducted in Hillcrest (KZN) (7108 people – 40.2%), Cape Town (WC) (8701, 49.2%), and Johannesburg (GP) (1886 people – 10.7%).
Graph 4. Original COVID-19 Strain
✔ Numbers were rounded up that = 0.5 or above, or rounded down if they were below 0.5.
✔ These tests were done between before the 31st October 2020.
✔ Patients may have experienced more than 1 symptom, thus when reading the graphs interpret it as 51% of patients experienced coughing, for example.
✔ 44.1% of positive patients experienced symptoms and 55.9% reported as asymptomatic (positive but experiencing no symptoms).
✔ Those that were testing positive for a current infection during this time period were exclusively using PCR testing.
✔ Tests were conducted in Hillcrest (KZN) (2484, 50.3%), Cape Town (WC) (1557 people – 31.5%), Johannesburg (GP) (804 people – 16.3%), Port Elizabeth (EC) (93 people – 1.9%).
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