Students in China still safe
International relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says government fully understands the concerns of Namibian students in China.
None of the 500 Namibians studying in China have contracted the new coronavirus disease, says international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
She said there had been several inaccurate reports in the local media in recent weeks on Namibian students in China, in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.
According to her there are currently 500 Namibians studying in China, 27 of whom live in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, where the outbreak was first reported.
“It is with a sense of gratefulness that the ministry can state that none of our students has been infected or contracted the Covid-19,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the Namibian embassy in Beijing was working in conjunction with the Hubei provincial government to monitor the situation.
“The embassy, together with the provincial government, is in contact with the students.”
She said movement outside the university campuses was still restricted for all those residing on campuses of various academic institutions.
“These measures apply to all, regardless of nationality. The measures are being enforced, especially in light of the fact that face masks are not easily available due to high demand.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed Namibia's appreciation for the assistance provided by university authorities in Hubei, who she said have ensured that Namibian students are provided with facemasks and food by delivering these items to the students' doorsteps. According to her the Namibian government has established a National Contingent Committee on the Coronavirus Response to be able to respond effectively to any eventuality with respect to the coronavirus. “Namibian authorities are in constant communication with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) to benchmark and coordinate our response with international best practice in terms of the Covid-19 response.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the government fully understood the concerns of the Namibian students in China, but as a member of the WHO Namibia is expected to abide by the guidelines of the world organisation, which has at this stage not recommended mass evacuations of foreign nationals from China. Nandi-Ndaitwah called on Namibian students in China to continue cooperating with the Namibian embassy and the relevant Chinese authorities. “Namibia expresses its solidarity and commends the government and fraternal people of China for the sterling efforts employed to contain the virus, including the continued all-round assistance provided to foreigners including Namibians students studying in China. Equally, we extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy at the significant loss of life claimed by this virus.”
The official death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic jumped to 1 662 on Sunday, with 68 500 confirmed infections.
France has reported Europe's first death from the infection, a Chinese tourist from Hubei province. Only three deaths had previously been reported outside mainland China - in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.
Egypt on Friday confirmed its first case of Covid-19, which is also the first known case in Africa.
ELLANIE SMIT
She said there had been several inaccurate reports in the local media in recent weeks on Namibian students in China, in light of the coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.
According to her there are currently 500 Namibians studying in China, 27 of whom live in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, where the outbreak was first reported.
“It is with a sense of gratefulness that the ministry can state that none of our students has been infected or contracted the Covid-19,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the Namibian embassy in Beijing was working in conjunction with the Hubei provincial government to monitor the situation.
“The embassy, together with the provincial government, is in contact with the students.”
She said movement outside the university campuses was still restricted for all those residing on campuses of various academic institutions.
“These measures apply to all, regardless of nationality. The measures are being enforced, especially in light of the fact that face masks are not easily available due to high demand.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed Namibia's appreciation for the assistance provided by university authorities in Hubei, who she said have ensured that Namibian students are provided with facemasks and food by delivering these items to the students' doorsteps. According to her the Namibian government has established a National Contingent Committee on the Coronavirus Response to be able to respond effectively to any eventuality with respect to the coronavirus. “Namibian authorities are in constant communication with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) to benchmark and coordinate our response with international best practice in terms of the Covid-19 response.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the government fully understood the concerns of the Namibian students in China, but as a member of the WHO Namibia is expected to abide by the guidelines of the world organisation, which has at this stage not recommended mass evacuations of foreign nationals from China. Nandi-Ndaitwah called on Namibian students in China to continue cooperating with the Namibian embassy and the relevant Chinese authorities. “Namibia expresses its solidarity and commends the government and fraternal people of China for the sterling efforts employed to contain the virus, including the continued all-round assistance provided to foreigners including Namibians students studying in China. Equally, we extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy at the significant loss of life claimed by this virus.”
The official death toll from China's coronavirus epidemic jumped to 1 662 on Sunday, with 68 500 confirmed infections.
France has reported Europe's first death from the infection, a Chinese tourist from Hubei province. Only three deaths had previously been reported outside mainland China - in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan.
Egypt on Friday confirmed its first case of Covid-19, which is also the first known case in Africa.
ELLANIE SMIT
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