Outcomes of laboratory‐confirmed <scp>SARS‐CoV</scp> ‐2 infection in the Omicron‐driven fourth wave compared with previous waves in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

In the Omicron-driven wave, severe COVID-19 outcomes were reduced mostly due to protection conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination, but intrinsically reduced virulence may account for a modest reduction in risk of severe hospitalisation or death compared to the Delta-driven wave.