N$4
namib times
SERVING THE COASTAL COMMUNITY SINCE 1958 NO 6866 FRIDAY 5 JUNE 2020 Tel: +264 64 - 205854 / +264 64 - 461866 /Fax: +264 64 - 204813 / 064 - 461824 / Website: www.namibtimes.net
Slow progress to test “contacts” a huge concern to Walvis Bay
Frustration is mounting with the Ministry of Health and Social Services which has allegedly dragged feet the past week to test the contacts of the three Walvis Bay residents who tested positive for the Coronavirus in recent days. Of these three cases, one man remains in a critical yet stable condition with Covid-19 in the Welwitschia Hospital at Walvis Bay. On Wednesday evening there were still circumvent Walvis Bay’s lockdown. people who were waiting for several days to Had the Justice Minister stick to the original get tested. Apart from being tested, it takes a dates set by President Hage Geingob for Walvis further three days for the results to come Bay to return to level 1 lockdown on 1 June, back. several days would have been available to trace Businesspeople and residents had fears this the contacts and test them before the country feet dragging will be exactly the reason why moved to level three and for everyone then free the level 1 lockdown would be extended for to leave if they tested negative. Walvis Bay. Secondly, the Ministry of Health and Social At the time of going to press yesterday started with an immediate campaign to trace afternoon, President Hage Geingob was in the contacts and order them into State sponsored process to deliver his State of the Nation quarantine and self quarantine. There are Address (SoNA). An announcement on the examples where people were told by ministerial status of the lockdown (which was to lapse at officials they would be collected for quarantine A former resident of Walvis Bay, George van one minute before midnight last night) was on Friday 29 May. The ministry’s officials Straaten (pictured), was arrested and fined not yet available when the newspaper went to never turned up, citing a shortage of vehicles to N$2 000 for a fake news recording he disprint late yesterday afternoon. many of the people. These people in the seminated by Whatsapp some weeks ago A truck driver returning from South Africa meantime took the initiative to self quarantine. stating all employees of F.P. du Toit Transand two Namibians who tested positive after Several days passed before people were tested. port/Wesbank Transport tested positive for a trip by vessel to the Democratic Republic of Continues on page 2 Continues on page 2 Congo generated more than 100 Covid-19 contacts that had to be traced and tested to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. Health Minister Dr. Kalumbi Shangula last Thursday in re-introducing Walvis Bay to level 1 lockdown explained the move was necessary to trace these contacts. In theory, and given Namibia’s Covid-19 response, it was a practical and realistic step to take. In reality, just the opposite transpired. Firstly, in order to prevent a panic exodus of people out of Walvis Bay the Minister of Justice Yvonne Dausab said the lockdown would become into immediate effect last Thursday (28 May 2020). In the hours that followed a panic exodus indeed developed within the hour. People left A cell phone snatcher got more than what he was bargaining for recently when an entrance gates Walvis Bay in scores by road. These include collapsed on him whilst scaling the structure to get away from people chasing him. The man, visitors who spent extra time here for the long who had accomplice, grabbed someone’s phone near the lagoon and ran off. People gave chase weekend, visiting businesspeople and also and as the man was trying to scale the entrance gate of Atlantis Sports Club the structure toppled, locals who opted to migrate to be able to pinning him down. His accomplice was arrested too. The incident took place on Sunday.
inside Fuel prices remain unchanged
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They are in the Top 10!
Former Walvis Bay resident fined for spreading fake news
Fleeing cell phone snatcher ends up under entrance gate......
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Ganz locker vom Höckerchen
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Sports News Page 16