Chinese did not sneak in through Oshikango
The ministry of home affairs and immigration has denied allegations that some Chinese business people have entered the country at the Oshikango border post after holidaying in China to escape screening for the new coronavirus.
Ministry spokesperson Sackeus Kadhikwa says the Chinese citizens' passports show that they entered the country legally at Hosea Kutako Airport and were screened.
According to rumours circulating on social media, some Chinese traders in the north entered Namibia via Angola upon returning from holiday in China, raising fears that they may spread the deadly new coronavirus in Namibia.
“We are aware of the information circulating on social media about Chinese nationals who sneaked into the country through the Oshikango border post via Angola. This is fake news and has no truth in it,” Kadhikwa said.
“The Chinese entered the country legally through Hosea Kutako International Airport and they were screened like any other person entering the country.
“Their passports were also recorded there.”
Kadhikwa said there was no record of any Chinese national entering the country at Oshikango this month.
Helao Nafidi mayor Eliaser Nghipangelwa said he also heard the rumours but his office had not received any official communication on the issue.
China placed entire cities in quarantine in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, which the World Health Organisation has named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). The virus causes severe pneumonia similar to the first SARS epidemic in 2003.
Some Chinese people living in Namibia who went home for the Chinese New Year festivities were unable to return to Namibia because of the travel ban the Chinese government imposed.
ILENI NANDJATO
Ministry spokesperson Sackeus Kadhikwa says the Chinese citizens' passports show that they entered the country legally at Hosea Kutako Airport and were screened.
According to rumours circulating on social media, some Chinese traders in the north entered Namibia via Angola upon returning from holiday in China, raising fears that they may spread the deadly new coronavirus in Namibia.
“We are aware of the information circulating on social media about Chinese nationals who sneaked into the country through the Oshikango border post via Angola. This is fake news and has no truth in it,” Kadhikwa said.
“The Chinese entered the country legally through Hosea Kutako International Airport and they were screened like any other person entering the country.
“Their passports were also recorded there.”
Kadhikwa said there was no record of any Chinese national entering the country at Oshikango this month.
Helao Nafidi mayor Eliaser Nghipangelwa said he also heard the rumours but his office had not received any official communication on the issue.
China placed entire cities in quarantine in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, which the World Health Organisation has named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2). The virus causes severe pneumonia similar to the first SARS epidemic in 2003.
Some Chinese people living in Namibia who went home for the Chinese New Year festivities were unable to return to Namibia because of the travel ban the Chinese government imposed.
ILENI NANDJATO
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