WALVIS BAY – A third person tested positive for Covid-19 at Walvis Bay, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 24, of which 10 are active cases for which scientists are frantically searching for a vaccine and a cure.
The latest case involving a 51-year-old Namibian male is linked to the second positive case recorded at the coastal town as they both are crewmembers on the same vessel that arrived on 5 May from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it had delivered a consignment of salt and fish.
The two men are part of an eight crewmembers consisting of four Namibians and four foreign nationals believed to be working on the cargo vessel and might have come in contact with someone with the virus while offloading.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday said all crew members did not disembark from the vessel in the DRC, however, Congolese nationals entered the vessel.
According to Shangula, all crewmembers on the vessel were listed as contacts and specimens were collected from them in conformity with testing protocols and so far, only two of the eight tested positive.
“Case 24 does not show any Covid-19 signs and symptoms and is in good condition. He is being managed in isolation unit of Walvis Bay District Hospital. Case 22 is still being treated at a private hospital and is still on a ventilator, but stable. He is showing positive dynamic in respiratory function,” the minister said yesterday.
Meanwhile, Erongo governor Neville Andre on Friday said the Walvis Bay Esplanade Park and Dolphin Park is ready for utilisation, as isolation facilities should more cases be detected at the town.
Andre noted at least 200 testing kits and equipment has been requested and will be available for community testing, especially pertaining to the identified contacts under tracing.
“This means the people that had contact with anyone that tested positive will be tested and 21 of those will be deployed in Erongo, where six will be in Walvis Bay. The rest will be in Usakos and Omaruru respectively - to strengthen case management,” further stated the regional governor.
Currently he says the TB ward at the state hospital will be used to treat all Covid-19 cases while the construction of the temporary quarantine and isolation facility will resume soon.
“There are at least a 132 people under active contact tracing. Hence, we urge residents to remain calm and contact health authorities if they came in contact with any of our positive cases,” he stated on Sunday.
Walvis Bay was downgraded last week to stage one after the second person tested positive for the virus and will remain under lockdown until Thursday. Namibia has 14 recoveries with some 3 680 people tested, of which 686 are in mandatory quarantine facilities. -edeklerk@nepc.com