16 Apr 2020

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Lemogang Kwape has appealed to Batswana to desist from discriminating against coronavirus suspects when they are released from quarantine.

Briefing the media through a televised press conference on Thursday, Dr Kwape said it would be unfair for members of the community to stigmatise and discriminate against persons who had been quarantined as that would jeopardise the government’s efforts to separate people who are suspected to be having coronavirus.

The minister said rumours were doing rounds to the effect that some members of the community were threatening and verbally abusing those who had been released from quarantine.

He said those kind of acts would not be tolerated, adding that as of now no one could claim to be clean of the virus if they had not yet been tested.   

Regarding the issue of any chances of extending the lockdown, which would be coming to an end on April 30, Dr Kwape said it would be too early for him to respond to the question and also said the right person to respond to such was the coordinator of the COVID-19 task team, Dr Kereng Masupu. 

He said Dr Masupu would advise the government accordingly, following the technical team advice after assessing the situation. END