Staff Reporter
OUT of 6 366 Covid-19 test results received in the last 24-hour cycle, a record number of 1 263 were reported, representing a 19.8% positivity ratio.
Again a month-old baby is among new cases, while one death was reported.
According to Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health and Social Services, these figures demonstrate intense community transmission is taking place.
“It also demonstrates laxity in the observance of public health measures. The responsibility for the prevention of new infections lies with individual members of society,” Shangula said during his daily Covid-19 update briefing.
“I again call for individuals to get vaccinated and to observe public health measures without fail.”
The gender distribution is 643 females and 620 males, and the ages range from one month to 88 years.
“We are reporting cases from 13 regions with the Khomas region reporting the highest number, namely 522, making up 41.3%, followed by the Erongo region with 272, constituting 21.5% of all newly confirmed cases,” Shangula said.
“We are also reporting 108 new re-infections with Khomas reporting the highest (39), making up 36.1% of all re-infections.”
The minister said there were 1 055 new recoveries.
The number of active cases is 8 032.
Hospitalized cases are currently at 200 across 11 regions, of which 16 are in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
Nine of the hospitalized cases have received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 23 are fully vaccinated. All cases in ICU are not vaccinated.
One Covid-19 related death was reported from the Rehoboth district. An 84-year-old male with co-morbidities died upon arrival at a health facility on 14 December. The deceased was not vaccinated.
By 17 December, a total of 397 025 people have received one dose of the vaccine, representing 26.4% of the target population. This includes 1 056 children aged 12 to 17 years.
A total of 100 196 have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is administered as one dose, while 234 962 adults had received two doses of other vaccines.
Therefore, 335 158 have completed the vaccination, translating into 22.3% of the target population, while 1 514 people have received a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccines as a booster dose.
File photo for illustrative purposes.
