Gov't to spread quarantining of new arrivals
Mbongeni Mguni | Friday March 13, 2020 17:02
With South African cases mounting, health authorities are scaling up measures to prevent the deadly disease setting foot on local soil. By Thursday evening, the coronavirus had killed nearly 5,000 people across the world, with another 130,000 cases active.
At present, only arrivals from China are required to self-quarantine on arrival in Botswana and by the last count, 59 of that country’’s nationals were in self-seclusion.
Mmegi is informed that South Africa, which by Thursday had 17 cases, will not be among the upcoming list, which reportedly has to pass through Cabinet.
Health Services director, Malaki Tshipayagae said any list of countries required to self-quarantine would follow global health recommendations.
“The recommendation is that people from countries which are experiencing community transmissions as opposed to imported cases by arriving visitors, should undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine,” he told Mmegi during a briefing on Wednesday.
“This is to avoid people incubating the coronavirus and triggering community transmissions. In the first month of the outbreak, we were dealing with only one country, China, and it was easy to tell people arriving to go and self-quarantine.
“Now it is numerous countries.”
While by Wednesday, local health authorities were taking ‘comfort’ in the fact that South Africa’’’s cases were all imported, on Thursday, the country reported its first case of community transmission.
The situation has reportedly put authorities in a quandary on the direction to take. The neighbouring country is a key economic partner and adding it to a quarantine list could likely trigger domestic shortages in numerous critical economic sectors.
On Wednesday, Tshipayagae told Mmegi that travel restrictions were not being considered at this point.
“This is to make sure that trade, exchange of ideas and communication continues,” he said.
“When you make recommendations, you always look at protection of citizens and also minimum disruption of international relations and trade.””
WHO country director, Josephine Nyamboza told Mmegi most countries were opting for self-quarantine as opposed to travel restrictions, in their responses to the outbreak. The US bucked the trend, however, announcing a travel ban on 26 European countries on Thursday.
“We expect countries to take action and prevent the disease from getting in,” she said.
“Because Botswana still has no case of the virus, we are stressing that it must just continue being more prepared for anything, she added.”