The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo on Wednesday lauded researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) following the announcement of South Africa's first Covid-19 vaccine trial.

The trial aims to find a vaccine that will prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes Covid-19. The first participants will be enrolled this week.

South Africa recently surpassed the 100 000 mark of Covid-19 cases and has recorded 2 102 deaths.

Dhlomo said the news of the trial in fighting the pandemic “begins to allay the fears among our people and health workers".

The study, which will come at a cost of R150-million, will take place in "urban metropoles where the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is high, and which are likely to be Covid-19 hotspots".

“We hope that the team will do everything to accelerate such a noble programme. It will bring us closer to our world-expected dream vaccine against Covid-19,” he said.