Niël Terblanché
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed that Namibia remains free of laboratory-confirmed mpox cases.
This announcement released by Ben Nangombe, the executive director of the health ministry on Friday, comes after thorough testing of 18 suspected cases, all of which returned negative results.
According to Nangombe, the ministry has been closely monitoring the mpox situation in the southern African region and across Africa.
“The 18 suspected cases, which presented symptoms suggestive of mpox, were promptly tested. While the results for 15 of these cases were received earlier, the ministry has now received the results for the remaining three cases, which also tested negative,” he said.
Nangombe assured Namibians that the ministry would remain vigilant, ready, and prepared to handle any potential mpox cases.
“The nation is assured that, in line with the One Health policy and the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches, the ministry will continue to monitor the Mpox situation and retain a posture of vigilance, readiness, and preparedness for the sake of public health,” he added.
Nangombe also urged the public to rely solely on official communications from the health ministry and other relevant authorities concerning public health matters.
He stressed that any person exhibiting symptoms suggestive of mpox should immediately report to the nearest health facility for timely diagnosis and medical management.
“As of 30 August 2024, Namibia has not recorded a laboratory-confirmed positive case of mpox,” he said.
According to Nangombe, all employees of the ministry are committed to maintaining this status by continuing their vigilant surveillance and preparedness efforts.
“This proactive approach is in line with the ministry’s ongoing efforts to protect public health and prevent the spread of infectious diseases within the country,” he said.
