Five people, including a 17-year-old girl, have died from Covid-19 complications in Namibia.
According to the Minister of health and social services, Kalumbi Shangula, the deceased teenager is the youngest Covid-19 death recorded to date.
Shangula said the patient presented with severe symptoms consistent with Covid-19.
“She was swabbed on 18 August and her results came out positive. Her condition deteriorated and she died on 26 August,” he said.
The minister also said three women – aged 69, 90 and 78 years old – died in Windhoek.
A 66-year-old woman with comorbidities died at Walvis Bay.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the bereaved families. It is really painful that we are losing so many people in a short space of time,” Shangula said.
The country has recorded 194 new Covid-19 cases with 13 new recoveries on Saturday.
Windhoek reported 141 new cases, Walvis Bay 17 and Swakopmund 10.
Eehnana and Rehoboth reported five each, Okahandja and Keetmanshoop three each, Otjiwarongo, Rundu and Oshakati two each, and Okongo, Karasburg, Gobabis and Tsumeb one each.
The country now has 6 906 confirmed cases, with 2 789 recoveries, 4 052 active cases and 65 deaths.
Meanwhile, a dire shortage of isolation facilities in the Khomas region of Namibia has left 1 941 Covid-19 patients isolating at home as the virus spreads unabated.
This means out of 2 050 active cases, only 109 are currently in isolation facilities.
The total confirmed cases in the region stood at 2 563 on Wednesday, with 513 recoveries and 25 deaths.
Acting Khomas Health Director Patemoshela Hamunyela admitted that when the number of cases started spiking, the region was not prepared – especially with regards to isolation facilities.