
Malaki Tshipayagae: places Botswana’s capital Gaborone under lockdown
By Brian Benza
Botswana has reimposed a strict coronavirus lockdown in its capital city, Gaborone, and surrounding areas after it recorded 12 new cases of the virus.
Malaki Tshipayagae, the country’s director of health services, announced the measure on TV Friday night.
He said officials had recorded four new imported cases at its borders and eight at a private hospital in Gaborone.
The new cases increased the country’s COVID-19 caseload to 60.
“We are still to determine whether the hospital cases are local transmissions,” Tshipayagae said.
“From midnight today the greater Gaborone area will revert to extreme social distancing until further notice, where only essential services will be allowed to operate.”
Diamond-rich Botswana ended a 48-day national coronavirus lockdown late last month.
It allowed businesses and schools to reopen under controls.
Its borders are closed, but returning citizens and imports of essential goods can enter.
Before the new cases were announced, Botswana only had one active case of the coronavirus.
It has recorded only one coronavirus death.
But the economy has been severely hurt by the shutdown.
Real gross domestic product is forecast to contract 13% this year.
Budget deficit could also be more than double.
Join The Conversation
You May Like
Latest
I never collected salaries as Osun Governor – Aregbesola insists
Insecurity: Gov. Ganduje shuts 4 tertiary institutions
Business magnate, Boniface Ogunti launches online TV
Gov. AbdulRazaq probes Gana/Ganmo chieftaincy tussle
Zamfara schoolgirls kidnap: Buhari’s government has failed Nigeria – Soyinka
Seplat driving sustainability with growing gas business – CEO Brown
Hero of our democracy: Fayose congratulates Yakasai
Photos: Gov. Sani Bello meets freed Kagara students, others
Third Mainland Bridge now fully reopened seven months after – LASG
Nigeria in search of asset managers for $2.6b Infracorp
Insurgency: Gov. Buni excited with return of normalcy to Yobe
Dangote Refinery to buy Nigerian crude in Naira, sell petrol in Naira
Seyi Makinde donates 18-seater bus to Lanase Central Mosque
Guardiola happy to take ‘lucky’ win in Man City’s faultless 20-game run
NDLEA seizes Tramadol capsules worth N50m in Adamawa
#FreeDawisu: SERAP, others demand release of Ganduje’s ex-aide
President Buhari mourns Justice Kafarati
Former Argentina World Cup star Cavallero charged with manslaughter
What Oba Sikiru Woleola told me before his demise – Lai Mohammed
President Buhari mourns Justice Abdul Kafarati
Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway makes higher profit