11 May 2020

Gaborone has been declared a high-risk area following one recorded case of COVID-19 on Sunday May 10, bringing the total number of recorded cases to 24, including one death.

Issuance of pink permits to allow movement in and out of Gaborone has also been suspended with immediate effect and the public has also been urged to limit movement, the Coordinator of COVID-19 Presidential Task Force Team, Dr Kereng Masupu has said.

The issuance of pink permits started during the second phase of extreme social distancing. Social distancing commenced on May 8 and ends on May 14. The pink permits allowed for movement of people to travel from one area to another for work purposes.

Briefing the nation in a press briefing on May 11, Dr Masupu said the registered case involves a truck driver who entered Botswana through the Tlokweng border on May 9, ferrying goods from South Africa.

Dr Masupu said various places of business where the truck driver visited on his way for delivery had been identified, registers collected and contact tracing had begun earnestly.

The businesses at which the truck driver transacted with, being Fairgrounds Mall Choppies Store and Puma Filling Station, CA Sales and Distribution Company at Commerce Park were closed immediately with their employees not to go to work until further notice.

Deputy coordinator of COVID-19 Presidential Task Force, Prof. Mosepele Mosepele said so far, 150 people had been identified.

According to Prof. Mosepele, they learnt about the driver’s results on Sunday, following a molecular test that was conducted on the driver upon his arrival on Saturday and investigations to identify contacts as well as his isolation followed.

Prof. Mosepele further said adherence by business outlets helped to trace truck driver contacts as their details were registered at the visited business outlets.

“I call on Batswana to continue adhering to registering their details for efficient contact tracing,” he said.

Furthermore, he called on the nation to continue adhering to precautions to avoid contacting Coronavirus. Rules include extreme social distancing, washing hands regularly, avoiding unnecessary travels and use of facial masks.

Those holding the current essential services permit will be allowed to travel into and out of Gaborone, but not those holding the Pink permit.

The nation is further assured that effective screening system to contain the spread of the pandemic is in place. ENDS