Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula announced that Namibia on Thursday recorded 274 new COVID-19 positive cases and 16 new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 3 158.

Shangula, in the COVID-19 daily update on Friday, said of the new deaths, recorded from six districts, nine occurred between 22 and 31 July 2021, while seven occurred between 01 and 05 August, two of which occurred within the 24-hour reporting cycle.

He added that among the deaths, eight occurred at home and none of the deceased were vaccinated against COVID-19.

The minister said the newly confirmed cases were identified from 1 751 results received from laboratories in the last 24 hours, representing a 16 per cent positivity ratio.

These cases have a gender distribution of 141 female and 133 male patients, with the youngest being five months old and the oldest, 100 years.

According to Shangula, of all the confirmed cases, five are reported to have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose while one patient has been fully vaccinated.

“Among the confirmed cases, 38 are learners, five teachers, six students and 10 healthcare workers,” he noted.

Erongo recorded the highest number of positive cases at 64, followed by Khomas with 44 cases, Oshana 34, Otjozondjupa 29, Oshikoto 25, ||Kharas 18, Kunene 16 and Omusati 14, while Omaheke, Zambezi, Kavango East, Ohangwena and Kavango West all recorded less than 10 cases each.

Namibia currently has a total number of 18 948 active cases, of which 359 are hospitalised and 68 are in intensive care units.

In addition, 1 487 new recoveries were announced, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country to 98 378.

A cumulative number of 171 499 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Friday, while 51 828 had received their second dose.

Source: Namibia Press Agency