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News > Lesotho

Africa: Lesotho Reports First COVID-19 Case

  • Lesothian returning homeland from South Africa trough Caledon river, Maseru, Lesotho. May 2020.

    Lesothian returning homeland from South Africa trough Caledon river, Maseru, Lesotho. May 2020. | Photo: Twitter/@YourKayBol

Published 14 May 2020
Opinion

The positive patient is a Lesothan student who returned from Saudi Arabia via South Africa, with no visible symptoms.

Lesotho Health Minister Nkaku Kabi announced on May 13 the first COVID-19 positive case in his nation. Lesotho is the latest African country to report the virus outbreak. 

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According to Kabi, 81 people were tested given their recent traveling chart. The positive patient is a Lesothan student who returned from Saudi Arabia via South Africa, with no visible symptoms.  The health authorities decided to isolate the patient to prevent the virus spreading. As the health functionary explained, the other results are to determinated. 


Lesotho is encircled by South Africa, which registers the highest number of cases and deaths in the continent, with 12,074 positive cases and 219 deaths. 

The South African nation implemented on March 29 a border lockdown to prevent the virus from spreading to travelers. Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane announced on May 6 a quarantine for all non-essential services and activities.


Thabane proclaimed the end of the quarantine will take place on May 22, under seniority arguments. After political pressure, given murder accusations against him and his wife, he quit office on May 13. The 80-years-old functionary resignation coincided with the virus outbreak.

The country's Finance Minister, Moeketsi Majoro, is expected to succeed him and manage the new scenario after the virus outbreak. The Kingdom of Lesotho also faces high HIV tolls, with over 15% of the population suffering from the virus.

After Lesotho reported its first case, the African continent has recorded 74,345  positive cases, 2,508 deaths, and 26,351 recoveries.

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