49 now quarantined at Zambezi Waterfront

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

About 49 Namibians, including immigration officials and students, are in quarantine at the state-owned Zambezi Waterfront Tourism Park in Katima Mulilo.

Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu told Namibian Sun that two immigration officials and 47 other Namibians, mostly students from Zambia and Zimbabwe, have been quarantined at the Zambezi Waterfront since last week.

One of the Namibians in quarantine had returned from the USA.

Sampofu said most of these people have not been tested for the coronavirus yet and have to wait out the 14-day quarantine period to see whether they show any symptoms.

Tested

One of those in quarantine told Namibian Sun on Monday she has been tested for the virus.

She was out of the country when nations started issuing travel bans and airlines cancelled flights due to the coronavirus pandemic.

When she eventually made it to the Wenela border post recently, she was told all borders posts were closed.

“I told them I was a Namibian and wanted to return,” she said. After hours of waiting she was screened and allowed into the country and joined more students at the Zambezi Waterfront who had entered the country from Zambia and Zimbabwe and had to be quarantined.

‘Trying their best’

“They are trying their best and they are really taking good care of us. I think they were just not prepared for this situation and to have to quarantine people here.

“I have been tested because I transited through America, but I do not know about the others staying here,” she said.

Her mother told Namibian Sun that people should not forget about those Namibians who are struggling to get home.

She added that the authorities have being doing their best to keep her informed of her daughter’s wellbeing and have taken good care of her.

53 corona contacts traced

About 100 contacts have been identified by the health ministry from Namibia’s 11 confirmed coronavirus cases.

This is according to a situation report compiled on 29 March by the ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Of these, 19 were identified as high risk, 17 as medium risk and 64 as low risk.

According to the report, 53 of the contacts have been traced, while 12 contacts are beyond tracing and therefore are lost for follow-ups to check symptoms.

The report said the majority of the contacts lost for follow-ups are non-Namibians who have returned to their countries.

Symptoms and tests

Meanwhile, 10 contacts developed symptoms of the coronavirus and were tested, while four contacts did not show any symptoms, but were also tested for the disease. Three out of these four contacts were, however, at high risk to contract the disease.

“Out of the number of highly exposed contacts without signs and symptoms who were tested, one tested positive.”

The report said that as of 29 March, a total of 246 coronavirus specimens were recorded in the PathCare and Namibia Institute of Pathology labs.

Of these 232 samples, 208 results were received, of which 11 were positive and 213 negative. By the end of last week, five results were still pending and 13 samples had been discarded.

According to the report, all 11 patients confirmed to have the coronavirus were in a stable condition by the end of last week. The patients are in isolation facilities at Windhoek Central Hospital, Keetmanshoop Hospital, Robert Mugabe Clinic and the Hosea Kutako International isolation unit, while the last confirmed case is in self-isolation.