Botswana Coronavirus Update 22nd June: Gaborone Lockdown lifted, Schools to Reopen

Botswana remains one of Africa’s least impacted countries, one of a handful with less than 100 cases of COVID-19. Government has in the past month taken drastic measures including a strict lockdown.

President Eric Masisi tested negative for the third time on June 1. The wholes parliament was quarantined at a point when a health worker tested positive there.

As part of containment measures, the wearing of home-made masks has been made obligatory in public. Data collection has also been a key plank of the response as part of contact tracing efforts.

Schools are also set to reopen along with the trend across parts of Africa. Strict health protocols are to be observed as kids return for lessons. This article concentrates on major updates from the country in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Gaborone Lockdown Lifted

The lockdown imposed on Greater Gaborone has been lifted authorities announced on Monday, the measure was imposed last Friday.

The lifting follows re-testing of 16 suspected cases, which returned 10 negative results. The remaining six cases are awaiting confirmatory results, according to the director of health services Malaki Tshipayagae.

The southern Africa country exited an extreme lockdown on 21 May, the country was subsequently zoned with strict regulations on movement. Government has made contact keeping a core part of reopening the economy.

With the lifting of the Gaborone lockdown, public schools are also set to reopen with the first batch (completing students) returning tomorrow whiles the latest returnees will be back in August (pre-primary children), a basic education ministry statement confirmed today.

In between the two batches, non-competing students will return on Monday, June 22 2020. The statement said private schools are to make their own reopening decisions.

Total confirmed cases = 60
Total recoveries = 24
Total deaths = 1
Active cases = 35