Steven Klukowski
KEETMANSHOOP – A French tourist who recently visited !Nami#Nus constituency was officially announced as the first person to have tested positive for Covd-19 in the //Kharas region.
Dr Refanus Kooper the acting //Kharas regional health director announced this while addressing stakeholders at an urgent meeting to discuss the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
“Acting on advice from the national Covid-19 management team in Windhoek, the man was then quarantined at Keetmanshoop State Hospital, minimising the risk of possible further spread of the virus through contact with others if sent to Windhoek,” stated the regional chief medical officer Kooper.
Dr Kooper said on Monday the tourist who is in his 12th day of isolation will be tested again for the virus once the 14-day compulsory isolation period has lapsed.
He added that the patient’s current medical condition is stable and if follow-up tests indicated negative results, he will be send back to his country of origin.
The acting health director said //Kharas region had five cases of people suspected of having the virus so far, including the one found to be positive.
“The latest case was that of a truck driver entering Namibia from South Africa whereby he has been placed under home isolation, pending his test results,” he said.
The lack of proper quarantine facilities can be regarded as one of the biggest challenges being experienced by the health ministry in the region. Kooper said it is unfortunately not possible to stop Namibians who are returning home from South Africa to enter the country.
The tourist entered Namibia through the Hosea Kutako International Airport on 14 March 2020.
He then proceed to the Fish River Canyon and afterward booked in at Klein Aus Vista, an accommodation establishment in Aus, !Nami#nus constituency on 21 March 2020.
The tourist while at Aus called his doctor in France who advised him to get in touch with the nearest health institution. “He was then screened and furthermore, the necessary test samples has been taken on 23 March 2020.”
The French tourist was then placed in self-isolation at an accommodation establishment after he displayed some symptoms of the virus.
“As constituency councillor I then intervene on request of the health ministry whereby it has been agreed during a meeting between myself, health authorities and the owner of Klein Aus Vista to close down the place and also that the health ministry should trace workers who might have been in contact with the tourist,” !Nami#nus councillor Jan Scholtz explained.
–sklukowski@nepc.com.na