by Charmaine Ngatjiheue

THE health ministry is searching for a South African couple that tested positive for the novel coronavirus in that country and travelled to Namibia.

Health minister Kalumbi Shangula confirmed to The Namibian on Monday that the ministry is tracing the couple and contacts, and said he suspected they were tested in South Africa before travelling to Namibia.

He, however, noted that Namibia’s number of confirmed coronavirus infections remained at 11 and the couple was included in South Africa’s coronavirus numbers.

“Those are not our cases. I suspect that the couple got tested in SA before travelling to … Read More

by Okeri Ngutjinazo

A GROUP of 35 Namibians and residence permit holders were moved from Greiters Conference and Rehabilitation Centre over the weekend due to water supply problems.

The group were instead relocated to Okapuka Lodge and Daan Viljoen Lodge.

The group arrived in the country on 21 March from Europe and were staying at the facility under supervised quarantine for 14 days as part of the government’s precautionary measures against the spread of … Read More

by Werner Menges

THE restrictions on business activities and the free movement of people under the coronavirus outbreak state of emergency apply countrywide, the government says.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the minister of information, Peya Mushelenga, said most of the state of emergency regulations published in the Government Gazette on Saturday apply countrywide.

This includes regulations forbidding the sale of alcohol until the end of 17 April, and ordering the closure of bars, shebeens, nightclubs and open markets, as well as stopping informal trading, until 18 March.

People not employed in what is regarded as “critical … Read More

by Hileni Nembwaya

IT was business as usual at the Ongwediva open market when heavily armed police officers, together with officials from the Ongwediva town council, sneaked up on the unsuspecting vendors on Saturday morning.

The police forced the vendors, who were preparing their stalls for business, to stop everything they were doing and closed their stalls without warning.

The seemingly distressed vendors, who looked on as the police closed their stalls, said they were busy laying their stalls while others were preparing cooked meals just as they always do.

However, the police immediately ordered them to close shop and … Read More

by Charmaine Ngatjuheue

NAMIBIA has reported its 11th case of a novel coronavirus infection, the health ministry confirmed on Saturday night.

Covid-19 committee focal person Bernard Haufiku confirmed three new cases to The Namibian, but stressed that a statement meant to be sent to the media had been released unethically earlier.

He said the patients were not informed of their positive test results prior to the document being leaked to the public.

In the statement, the health ministry said similar to the first eight cases of a positive test result for the coronacirus, the three new cases were also travel-related.… Read More

by Shinovene Immanuel

HEALTH minister Kalumbi Shangula says Windhoek’s compliance with measures introduced to contain Covid-19 has been “pathetic”.

“I’m very concerned, to say the least,” Shangula told The Namibian on Saturday night.

“I spent the morning up to lunch time in Katutura to see how people complied with the lockdown instructions. It’s pathetic. People think it’s Christmas. They are going around in big groups. It’s really bad,” he said.

Shangula … Read More

by Ndanki Kahuirika

TWENTY-NINE truck drivers who drove from South Africa through Botswana this afternoon are currently under quarantine at various  facilities in Windhoek.

Health executive director Ben Nangombe confirmed to The Namibian this evening that all truck drivers who crossed the borders into Namibia today are under quarantine for 14 days.

He said the drivers have been placed under quarantine at various facilities around Windhoek.

Only those who have to return immediately will be released and are expected to sleep in their trucks tonight.

He said in total, there were more than 60 truck drivers screened enroute to Windhoek … Read More

by Charmaine Ngatjiheue

THREE employees of Namibia Wildlife Resorts’ Hobas Lodge in southern Namibia have been told to self-quarantine for 14 days after they came into contact with a French tourist who tested positive for Covid-19.

The lodge, situated near the Fish River Canyon, was put in a lockdown on Friday to safeguard its staff and visitors.

Health ministry officials from the Keetmanshoop area visited the lodge to study the situation and ensure that no staff or visitors contracted the virus.

NWR acting managing director Matthias Ngwangwama said the employees who came into contact with the guest did not show … Read More

by Shinovene Immanuel

HEALTH minister Kalumbi Shangula says the new regulations aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus apply to all the regions across the country.

The government announced strict measures on Friday to contain the spread of the virus, including a ban on alcohol sales and public gatherings of more than ten people and the suspension of non-essential services.

There has been confusion on whether the regulations announced on Friday were only applicable to the Khomas and Erongo regions, where a lockdown including restrictions on the movement of people came into effect at the start of Saturday.

“Namibia … Read More

by Ester Mbathera

ADHERING to the lockdown directive for Khomas and Erongo regions is proving difficult, as it has come at a time when many are receiving their salaries.

Same goes for the World Health Organisation’s advice on how people should behave to avoid exposure to the coronavirus.

Long queues are still being observed at grocery retail shops, banks and street food outlets.

In the township of Kuisebmond at Walvis Bay, the residents are still going about their usual activities. Car wash businesses are operating while owners of … Read More

by Clemans Miyanicwe

THE once-bustling streets of the Khorixas town centre are empty, as most people have stayed home amid coronavirus disease (Covid-19) fears.

When The Namibian visited the town centre at the north-western town, only a handful of people were seen. Street vendors could also be seen awaiting customers for their wares ranging from clothes, spices, cigarettes to vegetables.

A street vendor, who identified herself as Lydia, said the business was slow since the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

“It’s very slow; … Read More

by Ndanki Kahuirika

TAXI drivers have been restricted to just three passengers per ride, in an attempt by the Namibian Police to enforce the social distancing rules in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Khomas regional commander, commissioner Joseph Shikongo, said the police have no intention of stopping the transport system, but have rather introduced measures to reduce the number of people that can be transported in a vehicle.

“In a taxi, it should be three. In a car that transports seven [people], it should be four and in a minibus of six, it should … Read More

by Okeri Ngutjinazo

MINISTER of mines and energy Tom Alweendo yesterday announced that during the partial lockdown normal mining operations will be discontinued.

Alweendo, however, pointed out that minimal mining operations and critical maintenance work will be allowed to continue.

“It is a requirement for the employers to ensure that when minimal mining operation is being carried out, other preventative measures, such as social distancing, are observed at all times,” he said.

The minister further said that for the orderly implementation of the announced measures, it is a requirement that all mining and exploration companies inform the ministry in writing … Read More

by Luqman Cloete

Crowd controlling measures were in full force as part of efforts towards curbing the spread of Covid-19 at most retail shops at Keetmanshoop.

The stores only allowed a limited number of customers to enter at any given time to prevent overcrowding in the shops.

Even the giant retail shops only let in an average of 15 customers at a time as part of their measures to tackle the spread of the coronavirus.… Read More

by Charmaine Ngatjiheue

NAMIBIA Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has locked down its Hobas Lodge in southern Namibia, after a tourist who stayed there tested positive for Covid-19.

The French tourist, who is Namibia’s eighth confirmed Covid-19 case, stayed at the lodge near the Fish River Canyon from 17 to 19 March.

Officials from the health ministry’s Keetmanshoop regional office travelled to the lodge to map the way forward, as a way to safeguard NWR staff and guests.

In a statement, acting NWR managing director Matthias Ngwangwama assured staff and guests that NWR was doing everything possible to secure their safety.

“Equally, … Read More

by Nghinomenwa Erastus

THE tabling of the national budget, which was scheduled for the end of this month, has now been delayed till further notice, said the minister of finance, Iipumbu Shiimi, yesterday.

The Namibian Constitution dictates that the ministry of finance presents the country’s expenditure plans and revenue forecast every end of the financial year, which in this case falls on the 31 March.
Shiimi attributed the delay in tabling the national budget to the declaration of a state of emergency on 18 March by the president due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

He, however, assured … Read More

by Hileni Nembwaya

TWO people who recently returned to Namibia from Angola are currently under quarantine at Oshikango in the Ohangwena region for a 14-day period.

The two are said to have entered the country a few days ago through the Oshikango border and were placed under quarantine on arrival.

Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the health ministry, confirmed to The Namibian this evening that one of the individuals is a Namibian national, while the other is a permanent resident … Read More

by Staff reporter

PROACTIVE employee engagements can calm the uncertainty surrounding the information being disseminated on the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

After Namibia reported its first two cases (now at four), the health ministry introduced and implemented stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Capricorn Group human capital group executive Stephanie Viljoen said the general uncertainty as to the impact the pandemic will have on daily lives was prevalent with many left with more questions than answers of how the new normal will be.

“By its very nature, Covid-19 has created a crisis for both … Read More

by Taati Niilenge and Nghinomenwa Erastus

SMALL business owners at Walvis Bay are feeling the pinch of the order from the municipality to close shops, as part of national directives to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Shop owners at the market in front of the old Kuisebmond compound say they understand the fact that the municipality wants to stop the spread of the virus, but their shops are not crowded.

They argue that they are only visited by one or two customers at a time.

According to the business owners, they run businesses like tailoring shops, photocopying stalls, repair shops … Read More

by Nghinomenwa Erastus

PROVIDERS of healthcare and hygiene products, including distributors, pharmacies and supermarkets have hiked prices of essential products in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak hindering the fight against the spread of the pandemic.

The inflated prices have compromised hygiene standards as the … Read More