Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA recorded more than 200 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday for the first time since 17 January, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
The situation has worsened since then, with the latest Covid-19 update reporting 595 new positive cases from 2 189 results. This translates to a 27,2% positivity ratio, which is 10,8% more than on Tuesday.
The majority of the new cases were reported from the Khomas region, specifically Windhoek, which recorded 270 new Covid-19 cases. This region’s figure alone is significantly higher than the total number of Covid-19 cases that were reported countrywide the previous day.
Khomas region’s figures are followed by Otjozondjupa (139), Erongo (51), ||Kharas (45), Kunene (25), Kavango East (23) and Hardap (13). While the Ohangwena (10), Oshana (7), Omaheke (5), Oshikoto (4) and Omusati (3) regions recorded ten or fewer cases.
These newly confirmed positive cases bring the total number of active cases in the country to 2 164, which is 511 more than what was reported in the ministry’s previous Covid-19 update. Of these, 73 cases are hospitalised and five are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Three of the hospitalised patients and none of the ICU patients have been vaccinated.
The latest Covid-19 update stated that there were no Covid-19 deaths. However, the previous Covid-19 update announced the death of a 62-year-old man from the Tsumeb district in the Oshikoto region. The deceased was unvaccinated and passed away in a health facility on Sunday.
The ministry has been particularly vocal about the importance and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines, but vaccine uptake remains generally low in the country. According to the latest update, 414 672 people, of which 10 011 are between the ages of 12 and 17, have been fully vaccinated in the country as of 17 May. This represents 23% of the target population of 1 779 271.
This low uptake can possibly be attributed to vaccine hesitancy as a recent Afrobarometer survey indicates that 43% of Namibians said that they are unlikely to get vaccinated, with the majority citing safety concerns as their main reason.
Despite the low vaccine statistics and the rapidly rising case numbers, the Afrobarometer survey also indicated that 62% of Namibians said that the government is managing the Covid-19 response well.
File photo for illustrative purposes only.
