Botswana announces first 3 confirmed COVID-19 cases

APD NEWS

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Botswana's Minister of Health and Wellness Lemogang Kwape on Monday evening announced the southern African country's first three cases of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

Kwape made the announcement when addressing the nation through Botswana Television, the state television.

"We found it fitting tonight (Monday evening) to come to you and announce that we have three Batswana (citizens of Botswana) who have tested positive for COVID-19 or Coronavirus," said Kwape.

The three Batswana are two males and one female, said Kwape.

According to Kwape, the patients had traveled to Britain and Thailand although he could not give more details as to what they were doing in those countries, nor when they came back.

Kwape said the three were kept in isolation at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital in Gaborone, and they were "in good health."

"We have now moved from prevention to containment because in the past we have been preaching prevention. Now that we have cases, we are going to preach prevention and containment at the same time," said Kwape.

Kwape called on citizens to follow all the precautionary measures already put in place by Botswana's health authorities such as washing hands with soap, sanitizing hands and maintaining social distance at all cost.