Namibia Embassy Berlin -
Regierungsmitteilungen
14 September 2021
COVID-19 continues to be a grave public health threat to our country. Despite some reprieve, we cannot afford to let our collective and individual guards down. However, the last 31 days have offered our country and communities some respite. The country has now recorded a cumulative number of one-hundred-and-twenty-six-thousand-threehundred-and-forty-one (126,341) confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Of these, 96 percent have recovered and 2,7 percent of cases lost their lives. During the period under review, the death rate declined by 85 percent, nationally. However, the case fatality ratio in Omaheke region remains high at 6.3 percent, which is two times the national case fatality rate.
These numbers represent lives of mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, children, spiritual,traditional, business, public and community leaders and members. Our country has lost some of its best brains, productive citizens and nation-builders. We have also lost and continue to lose a generation of elders, who possess cultural and indigenous knowledge and wisdom. A vacuum has been left by COVID-19 which we must all now endeavour to fill.
The positivity ratio has declined from 24 percent to 10 percent. The regions which recorded the highest reduction in new infections are Kavango East by 91 percent, Zambezi by 87 percent, Khomas by 82 percent and Erongo region with a 78 percent drop in new cases, respectively. This notable descent on the Incidence Curve must remain everyone’s priority and responsibility. We must all work together in order to suppress further transmission of the virus in our country.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH ANS SOCIAL SERVICES STATEMENT BY DR. KALUMBI SHANGULA, MP, MINISTER OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AT THE OCASSION OF THE 31ST COVID-19 PUBLIC BRIEFING
15 JULY 2021
Since the last public briefing by H. E. Dr Hage G. Geingob on the 30 June 2021, the Covid-19 epidemiological situation in the country has remained static in terms of new infections, hospitalisation and deaths. For the entire duration of the country-wide restriction of movement the daily new infections remained high above the one thousand
mark. The number of deaths has correspondingly remained above 20 deaths per day, peaking at 150 deaths announced on the 13 July 2021. The pressure on the hospital beds and oxygen supply has remained sustained at high levels.
2. On 5 July 2021, I have officially announced the presence of delta variant of Covid-19 in Khomas based on laboratory determination. The current epidemiological situation is defined by a number of variables. This infective agent can spread rapidly and appears to be more transmissible. It is virulent causing severe illness which require hospitalisation and intensive care. Secondly, the high interactions among the public aid its high transmissibility. Although several public health measures are put in place to curb its spread, these are rendered less effective due to non compliance with them and
inadequate enforcement. Since the infective agent is relatively new, as it enter in a non-immune population in Namibia, its infectivity is greatly enhanced.
3. In response to the challenges, the government undertook certain measures in order to address the situation and to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. The government has adopted the policy of strengthening and expanding the existing hospitals instead of creating stand-alone facilities. In this way, the new facilities benefit from the existing health infrastructure like theatres, intensive care units, X-ray facilities, dental services,
maternity services, and not to mention the scarce human resource like medical specialists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, social workers, physiotherapists as well as other support structures among them, mortuaries, laundry, kitchen and others. I shall expand on specific interventions later on. I shall now elaborate on specific public health measures as announced by H. E. the President. The continuation of the measures is justified given the little dividends we have received thus far.
To continue reading the Health Minister's statement, kindly click here....
Fellow Namibians, good morning.
The country has crossed two significant milestones over the past 14-day observance period. We have exceeded 100,000 cumulative cases and over 2,000 deaths have been
recorded due to COVID-19 and related illness.
As of 14 July, a total of one-hundred-and-eight-thousand-seven-hundred-and-eightyfive (108,785) Namibians have at some point contracted and been infected with the
COVID-19, over the course of the past 16 months. Encouragingly, 75 percent have
recovered, while twenty-four-thousand-six-hundred-and-seventy (24,670) are still infected. We remember in prayer, all those who are ill, battling for their lives, and the countless families, who mourn the loss of their loved ones. May you all be comforted.
True character is revealed in times of crisis. I thank all Namibians, our healthcare and frontline workers, for their tireless, daily sacrifices which they selflessly render for the common good. Let us continue to wage this war, unrelentingly in the face of adversity,unflinchingly when confronted by fear. Let us fight for the ultimate gifts of human life and health.
Our country is facing an unprecedent emergency, arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 3rd wave we are experiencing currently has impacted all corners of our country with devastating ferocity. New infections have increased exponentially, so has the number of hospitalizations and deaths. There is hardly a family or a community in this country that has not been touched. We have all either buried a loved one whose death is attributed to COVID-19, or we know a friend or a neighbour who has. Our country is literally in a existential struggle again this pandemic. We are in a fight for our very lives.
2. In recent weeks, health facilites in the public and private sector around the country have
recorded the highest number of patients admission in our country history. This has exerted tremendous pressure on the health system. Our mortuaries have reached maximum capacity. There are funerals taking place in different communities on a daily basis. Our health care workers are working long hours taking care of the patients. This is true for all frontline workers in the national effort to combat COVID-19. I salute them for their commitment to duty and selfeless patriotic service.