dr sundaram. _ transmissibility. indeed. dr sundaram, i— transmissibility. indeed. transmissibility. indeed. dr sundaram, i just want - transmissibility. indeed. dr sundaram, i just want to i transmissibility. indeed. drl sundaram, i just want to put transmissibility. indeed. dr - sundaram, i just want to put you some of the early data coming in from south africa, and i want to copy that — it is indeed early data — but it seems to suggest that while infections are on the rise, hospitalisations are low. is that encouraging or impossible model we can use for other countries? i5 encouraging or impossible model we can use for other countries?- can use for other countries? is very helful can use for other countries? is very helpful information, _ can use for other countries? is very helpful information, but _ can use for other countries? is very helpful information, but it - can use for other countries? is very helpful information, but it has - can use for other countries? is very helpful information, but it has to i helpful information, but it has to be taken with sever

dr maria sundaram speaking to me a little earlier. at some other stories in the headlines. the chilean currency, the peso, has fallen by 4% to a record low against the dollar following the victory of the left—wing candidate gabriel boric in sunday's presidential election. mr boric won 56% of the vote, beating the far—right candidatejose antonio kast. rebel tigrayan forces fighting the ethiopian government say they are withdrawing immediately from neighbouring regions. it comes after pro—government forces made significant military gains. the rebels say they are hoping there will now be a ceasefire. the english premier league and football league have chosen to go ahead with their christmas and new yearfixtures, despite ongoing disruption caused by the pandemic. 90 players tested positive in england's top tier last week, leading to a number of postponements. fa cup third and fourth round replays have, however, been scrapped. the jury in the trial of ghislaine maxwell have begun their deliberations in herfederal sex trafficking trial. in

dr sundaram, ijust want to put you some of the early data coming in from south africa, and i want tois indeed early data, but it seems to suggest that while infections are on the rise, hospitalisations are low. is that encouraging or a possible model we can use for other countries? it's very helpful information, but it has to be taken with several grains of salt. so one thing to keep in mind is that the population of south africa may be of a different type than the population of another country. it may be a different average age, it may be a different average previous covid—i9 infection status, it may be a different covid—i9 vaccination status, so we have to really keep those in mind. there's also going to be a delay in the number of cases and hospitalisations. we may still be seeing a little bit of that. but it is also really important to remember that er�*d have to decrease the severity of this outcome by a factor that's proportional to its increased transmissibility for that to be less of an impact on the health care system, and unfortunately the transmissibility is so high that w