Lesotho, the only Coronavirus-free country in Africa have just recorded their First Coronavirus Case.
The first positive case comes a week after the country lifted its national lockdown.
The positive case was imported from the Middle East and the patient has no signs and symptoms.
The government of Lesotho said on Wednesday there is a likelihood that more cases could be recorded before the end of the week after the Ministry of Health said it was awaiting results for 301 cases where tests had been done and sent to neighbouring South Africa.
“On 9 May 2020, the Ministry of Health conducted 81 tests for Covid-19 from travellers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia,” a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“On 11 May 2020 the samples were shipped to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa and results were obtained on 12 May 2020. Eighty people tested negative for Covid-19 while one tested positive.”
The ministry said it would continue to carry out active case-finding through screening and testing of all suspected cases at designated points of entry and at health facilities while monitoring those in quarantine.
There are also fears that more cases could arise as many Lesotho nationals continue to ignore the government’s pleas not to illegally cross back into the country from neighbouring South Africa, which has been hit harder by the virus.
South Africa has the highest number of Covid-19 cases on the continent, and by Wednesday had recorded 11,300 cases and more than 200 deaths.
