21 Dec 2020

 Latest COVID-19 statistics paint a gloomy picture of the local transmission rate and point to a possible surge in coronavirus caseload over the festive season.

  Giving an update on Sunday, COVID-19 presidential task team deputy coordinator, Professor Mosepele Mosepele said local infection positivity rate continued to rise, particularly in the greater Gaborone zone.

The transmission rate could spread countrywide as people were likely to travel to the countryside during the holidays, he said.

  Prof Mosepele stated that 156 new confirmed cases were recorded last Friday, with 64 in greater Gaborone and 92 spread across the country, the bulk reported in Francistown and Palapye areas.

It was disturbing, Prof Mosepele said, that for the first time, 11 cases were reported in the Palapye area, six in Letlhakane and two in Rakops.

Due to the spillover out of greater Gaborone in recent days, the numbers were expected to rise during and after the festive season, he said.

He reiterated the call for members of the public to desist from embarking on unnecessary travel, especially from red zones to the less infected ones.

Currently over 163 000 active inter zonal permits with the majority of them destined for the Palapye and Francistown zones, he noted.

 The predicted surge, he warned, could put a strain on the county’s health facilities many of which were not adequately resourced to handle an influx of patients, specifically with COVID-19-related infections.

The high infection rates called for a high compliance rate as well as vigilance, he said.

He emphasized that COVID -19 containment was possible through commitment to multilateralism, solidarity and national cooperation.

More than ever before, national solidarity was absolutely essential and needed to be strengthened, he said.

Prof Mosepele said government was appreciative of all the assistance rendered by the general public and private sector in the battle to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He said in addition to using face masks, meticulous hand-washing, regularly disinfecting surfaces and continued social distancing could have substantial benefits, particularly for high-risk populations.

 In continued efforts to educate the public, the task force had engaged leaders to assist with information dissemination, he said adding that all reliable media platforms would be  used to spread the message.ends