Namibia News

The Namibian government renewed its efforts in containing the Hepatitis E Virus (HEV), which was declared as an outbreak since 14 December 2017. To this end,  the “Improving the national preparedness and response capacity to contain infectious disease outbreaks and other drought related public heath events in Namibia”  project worth close to four million Namibian dollars was launched by the Embassy of Japan,  the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) at a ceremony held at the Namibian COVID-19 Communication Centre on 13 August 2020.

With contemporary times calling them disease detectives, epidemiologists play a central role in investigating patterns and causes of disease in humans. “In the context of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), as epidemiologists our focus lies in reducing the risk and occurrence  of negative health outcomes through research, community education and health policy”, says Hilary Kagume Njenge, a Kenyan epidemiologist employed by the World Health Organisation emergency hub for east and southern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Current situation 
Namibia reported its first confirmed COVID-19 cases on 13 March 2020 and the Ministry declared the COVID-19 outbreak on 14 March 2020. Since then (as of 6 July 2020) Namibia has had several hundred sporadic cases (539 confirmed) and no recorded deaths. Until recently (the last two weeks), most (approximately 87%) of the confirmed cases have been found in travelers entering the country held in routine quarantine facilities. 

25 June 2020.   Namibia COVID-19 cases increased from 32 to 90 in a week and a half’s time after a quiet period of about 45 days without a case.  Approximately 60 % of the new reported cases are from Walvis bay in the Erongo Region, the only region reporting a cluster transmission to date.  Due to the ongoing transmission of COVID-19 cases in the towns of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis,  they were put under Stage Three with some restrictions while the rest

With 34 COVID-19 cases and 16 active cases, Namibia received praise from other governments and the World Health Organization for the leadership it demonstrated in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.  Although the praise is welcomed, government is cautiously optimistic and continuously improves its readiness and response to the current outbreak.   The President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency, Dr Hage Geingob commissioned two COVID-19 treatment units on

Namibia’s two COVID-19 index cases were reported on 13 March 2020 and the country has since reported 34 cases as of 16 June 2020. Approximately 87% of the cases are imported with no reported community transmission as most cases are from travellers held in quarantine facilities in different regions.

The first United Nations ‘Solidarity’ flight started delivering vital medical supplies from last week to all countries in Africa where these are needed the most.  The flight was facilitated by the World Food Programme and included WHO supported supplies of face shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, masks, medical aprons and thermometers.

With 16 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, the government is adapting a whole government and blended approach to the response.

WHO is in the process of supporting the Namibian government strengthen its capacity for assessing and analyzing health risks and to integrate the results in its emergency preparedness and response plans.

Trachoma, an infectious eye disease caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. It is a public health problem in 44 countries, and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. About 142 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness. The infection is transmitted by direct or indirect transfer of eye and nose discharges of infected people, particularly young children who are the principal reservoir of infection. The disease is also spread by flies.