Health and Social Services Minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, has announced that Namibia on Wednesday recorded 540 new COVID-19 cases and one death, bringing total deaths in the country to 3 580.

In the daily update issued Thursday, Shangula said the new cases formed part of 2 174 results and represented a 24.8 per cent positivity ratio, with a sex distribution of 306 females and 234 males aged between one month and 93 years.

The Khomas Region recorded the highest number of cases at 283, followed by Otjozondjupa with 89 cases, ||Kharas with 64 cases, Hardap 29, Ohangwena 27, Kunene 24, Erongo 12, Oshana eight, Oshikoto three and Omusati, one cases.

Among the confirmed cases are 38 learners, 31 health care workers from different institutions, 11 students, and seven teachers. Sixteen cases have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 44 cases are fully vaccinated, while 480 cases, constituting 88.88 per cent, are unvaccinated.

Shangula further reported that 41 new recoveries were recorded, bringing total recoveries in the country to 126 247.

The number of active cases on Thursday increased to 4 913 of which 152 were hospitalised and 13 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Twenty-three of the people in hospital are fully vaccinated. Of the 13 cases in ICUs, one person received one dose of the vaccine, while one is fully vaccinated.

The minister also reported that by Thursday, 392 499 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine of which 96 892 had received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. A total of 608 are children aged 12 to 17 years, while 233 706 adults had received two doses. Therefore, 330 598 people had completed their vaccination, which translates to 22 per cent of the target population, while 887 people have received their third Sinopharm jab.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency