12 Jan 2021

Deputy district commissioner for Letlhakeng Sub-district, Ms Ikgopoleng Lekoape, has attributed increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the area to non-compliance to health protocols.

In an interview on Friday, Ms Lekoape said they had been recording at least four cases each week.

Cumulatively, she said, they registered 124 COVID-19 cases since last year, with nine new cases recorded recently.

Ms Lekoape added that the sub-district had 20 active cases with one death recorded while 103 people had recovered.

She said 87 people had been quarantined at their homes, a move that posed to be a challenge since they failed to adhere to protocols, which might result in other family members being infected.

The deputy district commissioner further said they had not yet recorded the new corona virus strain and those tested had not shown anything to that effect.

Ms Lekoape added that entertainment areas especially bars and canteens had proved to be problematic since people failed to obey the protocols.

She said in such areas, social distancing had been a challenge to many.

Ms Lekoape said the situation at bars was disheartening because people failed to neither wear masks nor exercise social distancing.

She said using farms as secret chilling spots indicated how  some Batswana were not taking this disease seriously, adding that as long as people did not change their behavior towards the COVID-19 strategies, ‘we have a long way to go to win this war.’   

Ms Lekoape opined that behavioral change remained integral in defeating corona virus while compliance to the protocols was paramount.

She expressed concern over some people who tested and requested to isolate themselves, but did not do so as per instructions  and continued to make unnecessary trips to other places while still awaiting tests.

She added that many of these people got a positive result, which the widened contact tracing and put the human resources available under strain. BOPA