Namibia reports reduction in COVID-19 positivity rate

WINDHOEK, July 31 — Namibia has recorded a noticeable reduction in the COVID-19 positivity rate, from the high figure of more than 40 percent at the beginning of July, to an average of 28 percent in the last two weeks, the country’s president Hage Geingob said Friday.
“The numbers of new infections have reduced, concomitant with a lower number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19. More isolation and ICU beds are becoming available in the public and private sector health facilities. These are signs of progress in suppressing the transmission, across the country,” he added.
According to Geingob, encouragingly, the national recovery rate stands at 80 percent, while the fatality rate stands at 2.5 percent.
“However, the fact that we have recorded 1,414 deaths within 28 days is troubling. It is therefore critical that we do everything within our power to reduce the alarming rate of deaths that we are experiencing,” he added.
Geingob meanwhile said the southwestern African nation eyes to reach herd immunity of 1.5 million, 60 percent of the population by March 2022.
“Although the incidence curve has plateaued and started on a downward slope over the last 14 days, this is no cause for celebration. We are not out of the woods yet,” he said, reiterating that inoculation remains vital in the fight against the pandemic.
According to the Health Ministry, the national vaccination rate, for persons fully vaccinated, has increased marginally from 1.3 percent two weeks ago, to the 1.8 percent vaccine population coverage.  – Xinhua