Windhoek - Health Minister Kalumbi
Shangula announced on Tuesday that travel into Namibia from all
countries is banned with immediate effect for a period of 30
days after the Southwest African country recorded its seventh
confirmed case of coronavirus.
Namibians and permanent residents of the country are also
banned from leaving, and if they return from abroad they must go
into mandatory supervised quarantine for 14 days at their own
cost.
Those residents will only be allowed to return into the
country if their mission is critical to national interest, such
as the safety and security of Namibia, the minister added.
The government, however, added the flow of supplies, goods,
commodities and services into Namibia from reciprocal
neighbouring countries will not be interrupted.
The government also announced a partial lockdown of the
Khomas region, which houses the capital Windhoek and the Erongo
region, home to the port town of Walvis Bay. The partial
lockdown will start from midnight March 27 until midnight April
16.
The latest three coronavirus cases announced on Tuesday
involve a Namibian male studying at Wits University in South
Africa, who was tested there but only got his results after
returning to Namibia.
President Hage Geingob told journalists that the
extraordinary measures have been adopted with the sole purpose
of protecting the health, security and safety of the Namibian
people.
"During this difficult period, I call on all Namibians to
cooperate with the authorities and to remain calm, in order to
ensure that public order is not compromised. Allow the
authorities to work unhindered," the president said.
Government workers and state-owned entity employees have
been advised to work from home in the next 14 days and all bars
and township pubs are required to close at 18.00 daily, the
health minister said as part of precautions against coronavirus.
Parliament has also been suspended for 21 days starting
Wednesday to Thursday April 14.
The Namibian Police announced earlier they stand ready to
enforce rules directing the public to remain at home and avoid
public gatherings.