SITREP 8


SITREP 8



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Ministry of Health and Social Services
Republic of Namibia
World Heaith
4 Organization
NAMIBIA
Outbreak Name
COVID-19
Country affected
Namibia
Date & Time of
report
Prepared by
25 March 2020 23:30
Surveillance team
Date of outbreak declaration in Namibia:
Investigation start date
14 March 2020.
13 March 2020
Three passenger planes arrived at Hosea Kutako Airport from SA, all passengers went
to self-quarantine at their houses
A plane arrived from Europe with 40 Namibians and permanent residents, 39
passengers were sent to Hardap Region to be quarantined at Namibia Wildlife Resort
(NWR) facilities. One pregnant passenger was taken to Etegameno, in Windhoek.
Case number 7 was reported late on 24 March 2020. Contact tracing is ongoing.
Case number 8 was the probable case, with positive result on 25 march 2020
Cumulatively, 7 confirmed cases in Windhoek (RT-CPR for COVID-19) and 1
confirmed case in Aus, Luderitz district.
Thematic group meetings continue to be held daily, since the 14 March 2020
Key Challenges include:
o Inadequate isolation and quarantine facilities, human resources and material supplies
including PPE, ICU units and ventilators.
Description of the latest cases
= Index cases: Two confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Windhoek
district on 13 March 2020. The married couple; a 35year-old male and a 25-year-
old female, arrived from Madrid, Spain on 11 February 2020.
= Case number 7, a 46 year old French national, who arrived on 13 march and tested
on 23 March 2020 at Aus. The results were reported on the night of 24 March 2020.
= Case number 8, a 69 year old German national, who has traveled in the region since
28 FEB with last arrival in Windhoek from Victoria Falls on 11 MAR is in self-
isolation on a farm in Windhoek. His indeterminate results were confirmed positive
on 25 MAR 2020.

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Table 1: Cases by reporting region
Reporting region
Khomas
Karas
Self-report (Tested in SA)
Total
Number of cases
6
1
1
8
« Number of Laboratory confirmed cases: 8
= Alive and dead: 0 death and 8 cases alive
Contact Tracing Summary
Table 2: Contacts tracing summary as of 25.03.2020
Contact risk level
Variables
High
Medium
Low
Potential number of contacts | 16
Number of contact reached
16
aa of contact monitored 13 (81%)
13
10
8 (62%%)
60
46
16 (26%)
Total
89
72
37 (42%)
Number of
developed
sci.ognntsac&t
that
symptoms
0
0
0
0
Number of contact with signs
and symptoms tested
1
1
3
5
Number of contact without
7
0
1
3
signs and symptoms tested
20 contacts finished the 14 days’ self-quarantine.
4. LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS
« The samples of 5 confirmed cases were taken by Path-Care and tested in South
Africa, while 2 confirmed cases were taken and tested by NIP. An additional
confirmed case was tested in South Africa and received positive result in Namibia.
The turnaround time range between 2 to 5 days for test done by Path-care, while for
test by NIP is 2 days.
" As of 25" March 2020, a total of 207 COVID-19 specimens were recorded in the
two laboratories (NIP and Path-care) as per table below:
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Table 3: COVID-19 specimens recorded in at NIP and Path care as of 25.03.2020
As of 25/03/2020
Laboratory
Total
NIP
Path care | South Africa
Total sample sent to the 55
152
0
207
Laboratory
Total sample tested
47
122
0
169
Total results received
40
117
0
137
Total results positive
Z
5
am
8
Total results negative
38
Lis
0
151
Total results pending
8
29
0
37
Inconclusive
0
0
0
0
*] Patient specimen collected and tested in South Africa
# National Health Emergency Management Committee special committee on
COVID-19 response was activated on 14 March 2020.
= The outbreak was declared by Hon. Minister of Health on 14 March 2020.
= The Ministry continue to conduct press briefing as the situation progress. Last press
briefing conducted on 24 March 2020.
= Coordination meetings are held daily
# His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob declared a lockdown of Khomas Region and
Erongo Region effective as of midnight 27 March 2020.
SURVEILLANCE:
= Training on surveillance and contact trancing have started, 25-26 March 2020
targeting Regional surveillance officers, Environmental Health Practitioners and
Tutors responsible for continuous development from MoHSS training network.
« Daily pillar and interpillar meetings are held to discuss daily progress, gaps and way
forward;
= Contact trancing is ongoing
= Case definitions as of 20 March 2020:
Suspect case:
A. A patient with acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one sign/symptom of
respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND a history of travel to or
residence in a location reporting community transmission of COVID-19 disease
during the 14 days prior to symptom onset;
OR
B. A patient with any acute respiratory illness AND having been in contact with a
confirmed or probable COVID-19 case (see definition of contact) in the last 14
days prior to symptom onset;
OR
C. A patient with severe acute respiratory illness (fever and at least one
sign/symptom of respiratory disease, e.g., cough, shortness of breath; AND
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requiring hospitalization) AND in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that fully
explains the clinical presentation.
Probable case: A suspect case for whom testing for COVID-19 is inconclusive.
Inconclusive being the result of the test reported by the laboratory
Confirmed case: A person with laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection,
irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.
o CASE MANAGEMENT
There are 8 confirmed cases to date. All cases are within the Khomas Region,
except case #7 in Kharas Region
All cases exhibit either mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.
As of 25 March 2020, all patients are stable.
Case # 7 and #8 are in self-isolation at home and are stable. Otherwise all other
cases are admitted in isolation ward at HKIA (case #3 admitted in WCH Isolation
ward).
Robert Mugabe Clinic is functioning 24 hours. 2 Patients admitted in Robert
Mugabe Clinic are stable and are being prepared for discharge (both were swabbed
and both are negative).
Regions, such as Zambezi, Otjozondjupa, Hardap, Omaheke, Omusati & Oshana
have HCW trained on COVID-19 and also have screening facilities and Isolation
rooms in place.
Training on COVID-19 is ongoing since February 2020 (Training of Trainers
Workshop).
Robert Mugabe Clinic hosts daily training sessions on PPE and collecting
specimens since 18 March 2020. We also have ZOOM lectures every week. Next
ZOOM meeting is 27 March 2020.
o LOGISTICS:
Deployment of basic PPEs to Zambezi, Hardap, Omusati, Khomas and
Otjozondjupa region.
Set up a mobile clinic at quarantine facility in Windhoek
Installation of Ventilators and ICU monitors at Robert Mugabe Clinic
Facilitation the allocation of quarantine facilities in the country
Country coordination and communication related challenges (beyond MoHSS) for
implementing IMS and multi-sectoral coordination still facing some bottlenecks.
Lack of fully equipped isolation facilities in the regions at health facilities and points
of entry in the regions.
Insufficient Personal Protective Equipment/clothing.
Insufficient isolation facilities
Delay in receiving lab results sent to South Africa
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= Need for improving country coordination, planning and monitoring,
= Finalization of all relevant SOPs per pillar
=" Need for complete Rapid Response Team
* Fully equip National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre
= All positive cases must be in isolation centres.
Cleared by:
Incident Ma nager
Date: 25.03 2020
Secretariat
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