Nineteen out of twenty-five people who came into contact with the Romanian couple who tested positive for coronavirus in Namibia were traced, contacted and tested for Covid-19, and the health and social services minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said no secondary transmission was observed.  “Appropriate measures were taken which included isolation and monitoring,” Shangula informed a media briefing yesterday.  

He undertook to provide briefings to the nation through the media on the Covid-19 outbreak at least once every week and at more frequent intervals should the situation dictate.  
Shangula said the briefings would take place every Wednesday. 

At the same event, the Chinese embassy through its head ambassador Zhang Yiming donated 1 000 Covid-19 fast-testing kits to the ministry of health.
The minister said that as of Tuesday, a cumulative of 24 suspected cases were reported in Namibia and all of them were tested.  Shangula said 20 specimens were tested locally and all of them tested negative for Covid-19. 

He further said four specimens were tested by a private laboratory of which two tested negative and two tested positive. The latter two are the Romanian couple.

Shangula said following President Hage Geingob declaring the Covid-19 outbreak a state of emergency – it brings about the introduction and implementation of additional measures in the Covid-19 response and preparedness.  He said the measures are aimed at curbing the spread of the disease and particularly to prevent the occurrence of local transmission.  He further urged the nation to remain calm and to cooperate with the health ministry and other agencies of the State so that “we can defeat and break the transmission of the virus together”.

Shangula also addressed the issue of inappropriate use of masks and gloves. He said they have observed that masks and gloves are now in short supply in shops as a result of panic buying by members of the public.  He said they also observed that members of the public are moving around with masks and gloves. 

“A mask serves to protect others from you and not to protect you against them. Wearing gloves in public for no apparent reason does not protect you from anything. It gives you a false sense of security. The most important thing is to understand how the virus is transmitted from an infected to a susceptible person and practise preventive measures,” said Shangula.
– sikela@nepc.com.na