Rising COVID- 19 cases in Maun worries officials
Isolation centres full as numbers rise
The head of the COVID- 19 Presidential Task Force, Dr. Kereng Masupu on Wednesday paid a working visit to Maun against the spectre of a possible total lockdown.
Masupu’s field visit not only confirmed the rising cases of coronavirus in Maun but also the dearth of isolation and treatment facilities.
Masupu confirmed that so far there had been six deaths and 168 active positives cases, and that the surge occurred during the just past festive season.
He also noted that there had been an increase in the mortality rate nationally whereby Botswana has registered double digits deaths for the first time. ” We can assure you that more are coming as the country has moved from high number of infections to mortalities,” Masupu explained.
The task team head also decried the acute shortage of isolation centres. During his tour, it was discovered that the Matshwane Clinic has lately been closed due to structural damages. Apparently the seven- bed isolation facility had been damaged during the recent storms. The clinic was designated to handle all isolation cases in Ngamiland, though in reality it had also catered for the Chobe district. After the closure of Matshwane Clinic, critically ill patients had either to taken to be Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital while the rest were sent to Botswana Open University ( BOCODOL) centre or home for self- isolation. Dr Masupu, however, acknowledged the last arrangement is not ideal and must be urgently addressed. The festive season surge of cases has proven that the existing isolation centres are not able to sustain the capacity of the increasing positive cases. “In short the current isolation centres are full and the government is in need of more isolation centres,” Masupu stated. Hence, the former Maun General Hospital facilities were toured on Wednesday and found to be ideal for an isolation centre. Most of the structures had been undergoing renovations but with shocking delays. This had resulted in persistent massive theft of materials ( specifically the electrical cables) at the building site though there had been security firms engaged, the Botswana Guardian has learnt.
Masupu had ordered that the identified Maun General Clinic facilities should be ready in two days ( that is end of day this Friday).
Meanwhile, Masupu has allayed fears that the recent discovery of the new COVID- 19 variant in Maun does not necessarily lead to another lockdown. Masupu explained that whatever measure is going to be taken concerning the country’s lockdown is not because of the new variant but because of controlling the spread of the virus.