Health and Social Services Minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, has announced that Namibia on Wednesday recorded 480 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 3 686.

In the daily update issued Thursday, Shangula said the new cases formed part of 2 283 results and represented a 21.0 per cent positivity ratio, with a sex distribution of 243 females and 217 males aged between one and 104 years.

The Khomas Region recorded the highest number of cases at 118, followed by Kavango East with 79 cases, Erongo 54, Otjozondjupa 51, ||Kharas 40, Oshikoto 33, Ohangwena 23, Omaheke 12, Oshana 15, Zambezi 15, Omusati 10, Kunene six, Kavango West three and Hardap one.

Among the confirmed cases are 35 learners, four teachers, three students and 17 health care workers. Nine cases have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 64 cases are fully vaccinated and 388, accounting for 81 per cent of the new cases, are unvaccinated.

Shangula also reported that 378 new recoveries were recorded, bringing total recoveries in the country to 134 317.

The number of active cases on Wednesday increased to 14 755 of which 333 were hospitalised and 26 admitted to intensive care units (ICU). Five of the hospitalised cases have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 34 are fully vaccinated, while none of the cases in ICU is vaccinated.

The minister also reported that by 04 January 2022, 406 267 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, representing 27.1 per cent of the target population, including 2 051 children aged 12 to 17 years. A total of 105 990 have received the single dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, with 239 202 adults having received two doses of other vaccines.

He further said 345 192 people had completed their vaccination, which translates to 23.0 per cent of the target population, adding that 6 537 people have received a booster dose.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency