07 Oct 2020

The number of COVID-19 cases in Botswana is continuing to move on an upward trajectory with more than 1 000 registered over a 10-day period.

Giving an update on Tuesday, COVID-19 presidential task force deputy coordinator, Prof Mosepele Mosepele said the country had recorded 1 228 new cases between September 24 and October 4.

The death toll had increased by two bringing to 18 the total number of Batswana who had lost their lives to COVID-19, he said.

Prof Mosepele said the two were a lady in her forties and a man in his sixties who both had underlying conditions.

He said the country’s positive case load increased from 3 172 to 4 400, with citizens and residents figures increasing from 1 968 to 3 102.

The number marked a significant increase at 100 per day, compared to August when the country registered 20 cases daily.

Prof Mosepele said the country now had 2 250  active cases, 834 recoveries.

He said the number of cases registered at the borders currently stood at 1 298 adding  that as at October 4, the country had conducted 22 045 tests cumulatively.

Prof Mosepele said indications were that the spread of coronavirus was rampant at workplaces where employees usually gathered for meetings and ate together without adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

He advised employees to avoid converging in closed areas for lunch but to rather have meals in open spaces where they could practice social distancing.

In addition, he implored employers to embrace the new normal of working in shifts to minimise interaction of employees.

Explaining that greater Gaborone was currently the epicentre of the virus, Prof Mosepele called for restricted movements, especially outside the zone.

Meanwhile, Prof Mosepele has disclosed that the task force had embarked on two strategies of point of care and laboratory testing. ENDS