28 Jan 2021

 Maun region has registered 163 new COVID-19 positive cases within a space of  one week. 

  Giving a weekly update on the COVID-19 situation in the North West District January 27, Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) acting coordinator, Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe revealed that the cases were registered from January 20 to date.

  She said 104 cases had been registered the previous week.

Okavango DHMT, she said currently had 16 active cases and Ngami 289 adding that cumulatively, Ngami had 549 cases and Okavango 71.

Dr Maripe-Ebutswe noted that Ngami had 1 314 people on home isolation, while Okavango had 123. 

In addition, she said 18 patients had been admitted at Letsholathebe isolation centre, 36 at Maun Rest Camp guest house and one at Botswana Open University.

She said 45 people from Toteng mine were isolated in lodges and guest houses around Maun, adding however that both DHMTs had not recorded any deaths during the week under review as the number still stood at 13.

She decried lack of isolation centres in Okavango, noting however that efforts were ongoing to establish one at the new Shakawe Primary Hospital. 

Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said 20 mattresses had already been secured while other equipment was awaited to ensure the facility was fully functional.

On challenges, she said some people violated home quarantine regulations while others failed to adhere to the set protocols and refused to go into isolation centres.

She said DHMTs had been forced to engage law enforcement to help address the situation.

Another challenge, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said, was shortage personal protective equipment (PPE) as demand was extremely high due to the rising numbers of positive cases.

She said orders had been increased for the district noting that 123 gowns had been received.

The acting coordinator also expressed concern about the inadequacy of Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital 12-bed mortuary.

It was also disheartening that some private mortuaries refusing to take COVID-19 corpses, she said.ends