Loide Jason

The Oponganda and Gammams cemeteries have been identified for Covid-19 burials in Windhoek, Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua announced yesterday.  Covid-19 cases have increased significantly over the last couple of weeks in Khomas, with 163 cases reported yesterday. Cumulative cases in Khomas stand at 2 651 and represent 40% of confirmed cases countrywide. 

During her weekly briefing, McLeod-Katjirua said eight community testing points have been identified across the eight constitutuencies. In addition to the eight identified testing points, the health ministry has also suggested to the City of Windhoek to consider availing the Ramatex building, and Katutura and Otjomuise community halls for testing purposes. 

“Besides,  eight mobile call numbers have been introduced for release of positive results and recovery certificates through WhatsApp and emails to minimise the movement and ultimate promotion of the stay at home Covid-19 mitigation strategy,” said McLeod-Katjirua. 
She said the negative results are now being collected at the old filling station near the health ministry’s regional office since Tuesday this week. The governor further said 11 localities, including the Windhoek Correctional Facility, were among the Covid-19 hotspots in the region. Others with increasing active cases include Khomasdal, Otjomuise, Goreangab, Olympia, Katutura, Cimbebasia, Havana, Greenwell Matongo, Wanaheda, Rocky Crest and Okuryangava. 

“This prevailing storm of Covid-19 commands our solemn commitment and dedication to put all hands on deck, act faster and to do whatever it takes with all available tools at our disposal to activate all our available emergency mechanisms to confront and overcome this challenge with absolute confidence,” she said. 
McLeod-Katjirua appealed to both public and private sector employers to ensure that measures are in place, including shift and working from home arrangements to minimise infections at workplaces. 

“We also humbly appeal to all churches in the region to re-adjust their church ceremonies and to adhere to the required 10-member provision with the related Covid-19 health and hygiene protocols of wearing a mask, distancing and hand sanitising,” she said. 
She added that all stakeholders, be they from the public or private sector, should enforce a well-coordinated, monitored and supervised hand-sanitising process at entrances and provision of resourceful registers for proper contact tracing.
Illegal routes
According to the governor, a number of illegal routes used by residents to escape the Windhoek lockdown have been successfully detected by law enforcement officers. 
“However, the tendency of people locking themselves in bars and shebeens during the curfew between 20h00-05h00 and the restricted trading hours between 12h00-16h00 Monday – Friday, and from 09h00-13h00 Saturdays and no sale of alcohol Sundays and public holidays, remains a great concern to law enforcement officers and we make a serious request to those perpetrators to refrain from this habit with immediate effect.”
“We are equally highly disturbed by the careless wrong practices and habits of misuse of face masks hanging below the nose and around the neck, keeping them in our pockets and the tendency of putting on the mask when seeing or approaching a police officer in public or at checkpoints,” she said.
– ljason@nepc.com.na