Botswana’s president ends isolation after asymptomatic COVID-19
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi speaks during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 23, 2021. | PHOTO: Spencer Platt/Pool via REUTERS
GABORONE — Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has left isolation just over a week after testing positive for COVID-19 without symptoms, the government said on Wednesday.
“His medical team has assessed his health status and subsequently cleared him because he continues to have no COVID-19 associated symptoms,” government spokesman John-Thomas Dipowe said.
New coronavirus infections have risen in the southern African country since the detection of the Omicron variant late last year, from fewer than 300 every three days before Omicron to an average of more than 2,500.
But health officials say there has not been a feared surge in hospitalizations, which may be partly due to the fact that Botswana has fully vaccinated nearly three quarters of its eligible population of around 1.3 million people.
Masisi’s positive test was announced on Jan. 3.
RELATED STORY
Botswana president tests positive for COVID-19
For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.
