Health ministry records 13 cases of Covid-19

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has registered 13 cases of Covid-19 as of last week.

Health minister Kalumbi Shangula told The Namibian the virus has not disappeared from the country.

“We have always informed the public as such. We are registering between 1 to 3 cases per day,” he said.

Former health minister Bernard Haufiku, who is also a member of the African Public Health Foundation, confirmed that the virus is still around.

He highlighted a recent case where an 18-month-old child was admitted to a local private hospital with a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius.

“Anyone who knows or practises paediatric medicine will tell you this child was on the brink of going into a convulsive seizure because of this very high temperature. We were lucky to have brought down the temperature in the hospital and have triggered Covid-19 management protocols and Covid-19 public health measures,” said Haufiku.

According to Haufiku, the patient was admitted elsewhere before with similar symptoms, but the Sars-Cov-2 test was not done.

He cautioned the public and healthcare providers to take precautions when dealing with patients with a high fever.

“This virus is still with us and will not abruptly disappear from the face of the earth. We are, therefore, cautioned to be alert, both the public and healthcare providers, and always have Sars-Cov-2 at the back of our minds when dealing with or having a patient, family member, or any other person with respiratory symptoms and fever,” said Haufiku.

He warned against large gatherings, as the 18-month-old patient and the parents were part of a wedding held in the Ohangwena region recently.

Haufiku urged the public to continue following Covid-19 protocols to protect themselves and their communities.
This includes wearing masks, practising social distancing, regularly washing hands, and getting vaccinated.