Windhoek, Nov 28 Namibia is currently grappling with five simultaneous disease outbreaks, Health and Social Services Minister Esperance Luvindao announced on Friday.
According to Luvindao, the ministry is actively responding to outbreaks of poliovirus, cholera, measles, mpox, and Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), Xinhua News Agency reported.
"I am aware that reports of various disease outbreaks may cause anxiety among the public. However, I stand before you today to appeal for calm and to assure you that there is no need for panic because the ministry, with the support of stakeholders, is mounting comprehensive response measures," Luvindao said.
The minister highlighted two particularly critical developments. A poliovirus type-2 was detected in a sewage sample collected on October 24 from the Ndama sewage pond in Rundu District.
"Laboratory analysis revealed that this specific poliovirus type-2 is genetically linked to two human cases reported in Menongue District, Cubango Province, Angola," she said.
"This represents the importation of the virus into Namibia. Therefore, I hereby acknowledge that there is a poliovirus event in Namibia and, hence, we will respond accordingly in line with international standards".
According to the Minister, Namibia has been polio-free for many years, with the last outbreak recorded in 2006.
Meanwhile, the minister formally declared a cholera outbreak in the Grootfontein health district of the Otjozondjupa Region on Thursday. As of Monday, five suspected cases had been recorded, three of which tested positive. She said all cases are confined to an informal settlement in Grootfontein with no travel history, indicating local transmission.
Luvindao also provided updates on ongoing outbreaks of measles, the CCHF, and mpox.
"I must inform the nation that we have lost two lives to this measles outbreak in the Grootfontein and Okahao districts," she noted, adding that one death has also been reported from the CCHF, while no fatalities have occurred from mpox.
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