WINDHOEK – Two Namibians arriving from Nigeria were on Wednesday taken in for observation and check-ups at the Windhoek Central Hospital, in what government said was a precaution to arrest any Ebola case.
The two, who landed at Hosea Kutako International Airport after a spiritual trip to West Africa, were later cleared after medical tests indicated they were not sufferers of the deadly virus.
Chairperson of the National Health Emergency Management Committee, Dr Jack Vries, confirmed that two people were taken in at the hospital ward reserved for Ebola cases, after the two complained about headaches upon landing in the country from Nigeria.
Nigeria is one of the West African countries currently battling Ebola, along with Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Namibia this week announced that travellers from those countries are banned from entering until further notice. Yesterday Zimbabwe announced similar measures, following in the footsteps of Zambia, which last week banned travellers from Ebola-hit countries.
Vries yesterday refused to discuss in detail the two cases involving Namibians who were taken in for check-ups.
However, sources at the hospital told New Era in confidence that the two persons were part of a group of about 20 Namibians who had gone to Nigeria to seek spiritual help from well-known televangelist and faith healer TB Joshua.
Vries said: “For precautionary measures we took in two members from the group who were complaining of headaches and they were later cleared, and they are with their families as we speak,” he said.
Vries said the group were scanned as is normal routine in accordance with screening protocol for incoming travellers at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
He also stated that the contact details of all people in the groups of Namibians that arrived on Wednesday were taken by government for purposes of monitoring them on a daily basis as a precaution.
Ebola has claimed more than 1 350 lives in West Africa to date.