Namibia registers two new Covid-19 cases

JEMIMA BEUKES



WINDHOEK

After going nearly two months without any new infections, Namibia has recorded two new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, 21 May.

This brings Namibia’s official number to 18 cases, 14 recoveries and four active cases.

Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula made the announcement yesterday that two Namibian women aged 66 and 28, who were repatriated to Namibia two weeks ago, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.

According to him, this marked their 12th day in compulsory quarantine for international travellers, which would also have been their last day in quarantine had they tested negative.

He added that both of the women are asymptomatic and not showing any signs of illness.

Testing stats

So far, 2 681 people have been tested and 1 439 have been in quarantine, of which 926 have since been released from quarantine.

Meanwhile, the health ministry deputy executive director Petronella Masabane said Namibia has adjusted its testing target to 2.5% of its population after benchmarking with other countries.

“From early to mid-June, the Namibia Institute of Pathology will have the capacity to conduct 750 tests per day. That will bring the total number of tests to 62 500 by the end of the current state of emergency. With Pathcare also testing, a cumulative number of about 90 000 tests will be conducted,” she said.

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