Eight schools close in Namibia as Covid-19 cases spike

The number of closed schools is expected to increase in coming days to control the further spread of the novel coronavirus.

RUSTENBURG, June 8 (ANA) – At least eight schools in central Namibia have been closed due a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases, Namibian media reported on Tuesday.

Executive director of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp said the number of closed schools was expected to rise in coming days to control the further spread of the coronavirus, local newspaper Informanté reported.

She told the newspaper that in the past 10 days about 165 teachers have tested positive and were sent home to isolate themselves. Many pupils have also been infected with Covid-19, forcing many schools in the Khomas Region alone to go into complete lockdown.

It was not clear whether face-to-face classes in all Namibian schools will be suspended.

Daily newspaper The Namibian reported that the government was facing a critical shortage of lifesaving oxygen at state hospitals due to the collapse of the oxygen-generating systems at health facilities countrywide.

According to the daily, the problem started last year with the spread of Covid-19, but the situation has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks, coinciding with a spike in Covid-19-related deaths among patients at state facilities.

The oxygen shortage has affected most public health-care facilities.

Health spokesperson Ben Nangombe told the daily that the ministry has been experiencing a low supply of oxygen in the hospitals and has engaged other suppliers.

According to radio station Eagle FM Namibia’s report, the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement, McHenry Venaani, said the lack of oxygen in hospitals posed a danger to the country and he called on the health ministry to consider setting up another medical facility that will allow them to treat more Covid-19 infections.

Namibia recorded the highest number of daily Covid-19 cases at 717 on June 3.

The country has registered 59,092 cases, 920 deaths and 52,390 recoveries and has administered 87,457 vaccine doses.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher