Niël Terblanché
STRICTER control measures will be implemented in all areas of Windhoek after the number of new COVID-19 cases spiked with 73 in just 24 hours.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula announced that almost half of the 152 new cases registered in Namibia are from Windhoek.
He said almost half of the new cases in the capital are the result of a huge cluster transmission and that ten others are from the same household.
He added that four of the new cases in Windhoek are health care workers.
“We are strengthening control measures in Windhoek, as well as in all areas, to curb the further spread. These measures will, among others, include increasing testing, increasing isolation and quarantine facilities,” he said.
Dr. Shangula also announced that 63 new cases were registered in Walvis Bay, nine in Swakopmund, two in Okahandja and one each in Otjiwarongo, Nankundu, Mariental and Outapi.
Of the 152 new cases, 96 are males, 56 are females and their ages range from a six-month-old baby to a 77- year-old person.
He did not go into further details about the new cases in Windhoek, Walvis Bay or Swakopmund but said that the two cases from Okahandja are those of a 37-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman who both had contact with a confirmed case.
He said they were tested on 2 August and that one of the patients presented with COVID-19 related symptoms.
“The case reported from Otjiwarongo is that of a 16-year-old girl who had contact with a confirmed case. She presented with COVID-19 related symptoms and was tested on the 6th of August 2020,” Dr. Shangula said.
He said the case recorded in Nankudu is that of a 40-year-old cross border truck driver, who came from South Africa on 28 July.
He was tested on 3 August, but did not present COVID-19 related symptoms at the time of testing.
“The case reported in Mariental is a 43-year-old health care worker. She was tested on the 5th of August as part of active case search. She did not have symptoms consistent with COVD-19 at the time of testing, however, she later developed symptoms. She had been in contact with confirmed cases,” he said.
Dr. Shangula said the case in Outapi is that of a 26-year-old woman, who travelled from Windhoek on 22 July.
She had no contact with a confirmed case but was tested on 31 July when she presented with COVID-19 related symptoms.
According to Dr. Shangula, 11 patients from Windhoek were declared recovered and were all discharged.
“Five of the patients counted as active cases are severely sick. One is from the Khomas Region and four are from the Erongo Region,” he said
Dr. Shangula also indicated that four patients from the Khomas Region and two from the Erongo Region are currently in critical condition.
The high number of new cases caused the number of active cases to rise to 2 367, while the number of active contacts that are under surveillance also increased to 3 818.
