Covid-19 invades Windhoek's informal settlements

JANA-MARI SMITHWINDHOEKJust as the spread of hepatitis E cases shows signs of slowing down, residents in Windhoek's informal settlements are facing a new and potentially more dangerous foe as Covid-19 cases rose steeply from fewer than 10 to nearly 300 in 18 days this month.The number of known coronavirus cases in Windhoek's vulnerable and neglected urban slums rose from seven on 2 August to 194 by 11 August and totalled 286 on 20 August.Cases have been reported to date in 25 of the city's dozens of congested informal settlements, the health ministry confirmed last week.By 20 August Windhoek's total positive cases numbered 1 482.The highest number of cases, 39, were reported in Goreangab, which on 11 August had a total of 25 known cases.Otjomuise had the second-highest number of cases by 20 August, totalling 38, up from 30 that were known on 11 August.Twenty-six cases were known in Okuryangava by 20 August, up from 13 on 11 August.Other informal settlements with reported cases include Wanaheda (24), Greenwell (23) and Havana (20).The health ministry confirmed that in Walvis Bay a total of 1 163 residents from nine informal settlements residents had tested positive by 20 August.The town had a total of 2 707 cases reported at that time.In Swakopmund, 112 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in eight informal settlements by 17 August, out of a total of 365 Covid-19 cases reported overall. Little protection With a conservative estimate of more than 300 000 people in living in Windhoek's informal settlements, the numbers are not yet critical.But experts have long warned that the densely populated slums present perfect conditions for the spread of the virus among people whose living conditions offer little protection or viable means to avert infection.“Recommended measures to prevent Covid-19 transmission such as handwashing, physical distancing, self-quarantine, self-isolation or e community-wide lockdowns are often impossible in informal settlements,” UN Habitat warns in a report on informal settlements and Covid-19.With most residents living in small, makeshift houses with poor ventilation and several multi-generational family members, no piped water or toilets that force them to travel outside the house for these basics, the conditions for the virus to spread are rife.“In addition, disinformation about the pandemic can spread rapidly in slums where residents often mistrust government messaging and policies due to experience with forced evictions, employment discrimination and public sector neglect,” UN Habitat warned. Rethink The UN Habitat report moreover warned that informal settlement residents are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid-19.“Low-income groups usually face higher rates of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or heart problems, and are likely to suffer from illnesses such as diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, malaria and tuberculosis. They also have poor access to health services.”Poor health is one of the key factors in how vulnerable persons are to the virus, and can lead to severe illness and death.Other critical challenges facing the urban poor include unstable incomes and minimal savings, job losses and lack of social and medical benefits that could make it difficult to afford basics such as soap, food or medical treatments.The report urges governments to ensure these communities have access to income guarantees, basic supplies and sufficient social safety nets in order to help curb the spread of the virus. Resilience The organisation said despite the gloomy outlook, this is an opportunity for authorities and leaders, in their response to the pandemic, to “rethink urban planning and find innovative sustainable ways to eradicate slums.”The report underlines this will require local authorities need to “be the driving force in reducing inequality, supported by national government policies to leapfrog into a sustainable urban future with safer, more accessible, and more resilient cities.”On the bright side, UN Habitat stresses that “communities in informal settlements and slums have a powerful asset: resilience. They have an immense capacity to self-organize, identify their needs and tailor innovative low-cost solutions. They need to be empowered immediately, as preparedness is key.” Negative to positive Meanwhile, the latest report on hepatitis-E cases shows a gradual decrease in Namibia's informal settlements since the outbreak started in 2017.“Even though efforts are diverted mainly to Covid-19 pandemic response, there is a beneficial spillover from the sanitation and hygiene practices Covid-19 interventions on the hepatitis outbreak,” the hepatitis-E situation report dated July 12 states. Between 29 June and 12 July, a total of 44 people tested positive for hepatitis-E, compared to 31 positive tests from 15 to 28 June.Between 18 May and 12 July, a total of 186 people tested positive for hepatitis-E nationwide.Namibia has reported a cumulative number of 7 853 hepatitis-E cases, of which 2 035 were laboratory confirmed, 4 488 epi-linked and 1 330 suspected cases.The Khomas Region remains the most impacted area, with 4 877 of the cases reported in informal settlements, followed by 1 648 in the Erongo Region.

Covid-19 invades Windhoek's informal settlements

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-27

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Covid-19 invades Windhoek's informal settlements

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-27

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