Lesotho has registered the second COVID-19 case after a Lesotho national with recent travel history to South Africa earlier in May tested positive after five days of being in quarantine.
The Lesotho citizen travelled through Tele Bridge, a border crossing between the Eastern Cape and the Mountain Kingdom.
WHO Lesotho says while mass testing remains a challenge, Basotho need to treat the situation with the urgency it deserves.
Second case confirmed pic.twitter.com/4vMuh5Snb6
— Lesotho Covid Response (@LResponse) May 22, 2020
The country has seen an influx of Basotho travellers returning home from South Africa, with many entering through illegal crossings.
Health Director, Dr Nyane Letsie has urged citizens not to panic and adhere to the hygiene and protective measures and regulations. The country has to date tested less than 300 people.
With many resorting to natural herbs, Letsie says Basotho should continue to be vigilant and not treat “lengana” as a cure for COVID-19.
The WHO in Lesotho admits to challenges regarding diagnostic capacity and commits to assisting where possible.
Lesotho has only tested around 500 suspected cases and is in a process of engaging in a massive scale testing. But officials are still worried about Basotho who default their self-quarantine measures.
New Prime Minister sworn-in
Meanwhile, Lesotho new Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro has taken over the reins of power from the embattled former Prime Minister, Tom Thabane. Majoro, who was previously Finance Minister, took the oath on Friday at the King’s palace in front of dignitaries.
The 80-year-old Thabane attended the swearing-in ceremony, but conspicuously absent was the former first lady, Maesaiah. She and Thabane are suspects in the murder of his former wife, Lipolelo in 2017 after she reportedly refused him a divorce.
In a brief and highly limited attendance ceremony due to the COVID-19 restriction, an emotionally looking Majoro acknowledged that he was facing tough challenges. He now has to unite the two factions and restore the trust of the nation on politicians.
Majoro will have to also lead the country at a time where Africa is facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lesotho gets a new cabinet following the swearing-in of the country’s new Prime Minister:
