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West African Mediators In THE AFRICAN STORY Mali Seeking Reversal Of Coup page 3 Princess Marina Hospital ISSUE NUMBER 734 VOLUME 2 24 - 30 AUGUST 2020 records over 30 cases amid Covid-19 surge page 4 ‘CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC MAY LAST LESS THAN 2 YEARS’ • WHO says spread of the pandemic slowing in Africa • Warns against hasty re-opening of schools 2 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 24 - 30 August 2020 THE AFRICAN STORY News, Finance, Travel and Sport Telephone: (267) 391 2305 E-mail: newsdesk@echo. co.bw Advertising Telephone: (267) 3922 655 E-mail: [email protected] Sales & Marketing Manager Ruele Ramoeng [email protected] Editor Bright Kholi [email protected] Head of Design Ame Kolobetso [email protected] Distribution & Circulation Mogapi Ketletseng [email protected] Echo is published by YMH Publishing YMH Publishing, Unit 3, Kgale Court, Plot 128, GIFP, Gaborone Postal address: P O BOX 840, Gaborone, Botswana ‘Coronavirus pandemic Telephone: (267) 3922 655 E-mail: [email protected] www.echo.co.bw DISCLAIMER: may last less than 2 Echo Newspaper welcomes concise letters from readers. Letters must carry the full name and address of the sender. Letters must conform to the laws of years’ Botswana and to the Press Council of Botswana’s Code The World Heatlh Organisation course with more connectiveness, stages of the pandemic, the rate Although pressure was building Of Ethics. Letters will also be Chief Tedros Adhanom the virus has a better chance of infection gradually accelerated in some countries to open up edited for length, libel and Ghebreyesus has for the first of spreading, it can move fast especially in South Africa, which schools, Nkengasong said it was language. time estimated that the pandemic because we are more connected now accounts for more than half proper to delay such a move may take less than 2 years to be now,” he said. of its case load of more than 1.1 until infections have declined dealt with, provided the world “But at the same time we have million. substantially. unites and succeeds in finding also the technology to stop it The Africa CDC further said He cautioned a hasty re- a vaccine. and the knowledge to stop it. on average, there were signs of opening of schools in Africa His remarks come shortly So, we have a disadvantage a decline in new infections across could repeat experiences of after the Africa Centre for of globalisation, closeness, Africa over the last two weeks, other countries like Israel where Disease Control and Prevention connectedness but an advantage said John Nkengasong, head of they were re-opened and then announced that the continent’s of better technology. So, we Africa CDC. shut down again after infections slowing the spread of COVID-19 hope to finish this pandemic (in) “So I think that is really some spiked. infections is through measures less than two years.” He urged sign of hope that we are beginning Africa’s caseload has remained Read more Echo like mask wearing and social “national unity” and “global to bend the curve slowly. We relatively low compared to other stories on our distancing. Africa CDC also said solidarity”. take this news with cautious continents, a factor that has been Facebook page by it is proper to delay re-opening “That is really key with optimism,” he said. attributed to its relative isolation. of schools until infections have utilising the available tools to “It’s very early, we’re dealing Low levels of testing in many scanning the QR declined substantially to avoid the maximum and hoping that with a very delicate virus that countries also means infection code below with experiences of other countries we can have additional tools like spreads very quickly but it’s rates are likely to be higher than your mobile phone like Israel where they were re- vaccine.” important to recognise those reported, according to some opened and then shut down again More than 22.81 million people slight tendencies that are experts. after infections spiked. have been reported to be infected positive.” Moeti said the slowing infections The World Health Organization by the coronavirus globally since World Health Organisation in Africa was encouraging but hopes the coronavirus pandemic it was first identified in China (WHO) Regional Director, that “we cannot be complacent. will be shorter than the 1918 last year and 793,382 have died, Matshidiso Moeti, told a press Cases are continuing to increase Spanish flu and last less than according to a Reuters tally. conference that Africa reported in some countries particularly as two years. Tedros said the 1918 Meanwhile the Africa Centre for a total of 55 000 new cases last borders, businesses and schools Spanish flu “took two years to Disease Control and Prevention week compared to 73 000 cases are opening up. stop”. has said also that although the the previous week, with the “And in our situation now spread of the COVID-19 outbreak reduction mostly driven by South (Additional reporting by with more technology, and of was slow in Africa in the early Africa, Reuters.) Echo Newspaper 24 - 30 August 2020 Echo Report 3 West African Mediators In Mali Seeking Reversal Of Coup Mediators from West Africa’s felt. regional bloc were due in Mali on Saturday for talks aimed (Reuters.) at reversing a coup that has been condemned abroad, but celebrated by many in a country battling an Islamist insurgency and simmering political unrest. Leaders from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have taken a particularly hard line on Tuesday’s ouster of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. They quickly shut borders and ended financial flows - a move diplomats said was as much about dissuading opponents at home as stabilising Mali. “They cannot tolerate this taking place. They are taking it very personally. It is on their doorstep and they think they are next,” one regional diplomat said of the West African leaders. The presidents of Ivory Coast and Guinea are among those pushing for a tough response, another diplomat said, as both have faced violent public protests to their third-term bids and want the bloc to show it will not tolerate power grabs in its own backyard. All eyes are on the visit by an ECOWAS delegation led by Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, which is expected to arrive in Mali later on Saturday, according to his spokesman. The ouster of Keita, known as IBK, has been welcomed by many in Mali, which was rocked by months of protests calling for his resignation over alleged corruption and worsening security in areas where affiliates of al Qaeda and Islamic State are active. “Reinstating IBK is out of the question. The only thing they can achieve is the transition. Under the rules of ECOWAS, ECOWAS should midwife the transition,” the second diplomat said, referring to the outcome of the delegation’s talks. A junta of military officers has controlled the country since Tuesday, when the mutineers detained Keita at gunpoint and forced him to resign. They have promised to oversee a transition to elections and a spokesman has said they are open to talks with ECOWAS. On Friday, thousands of the coup’s supporters gathered in a central square in Bamako, the capital, to celebrate the takeover. There is no outward sign ECOWAS’s suspension of financial relations is yet being 4 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 24 - 30 August 2020 decongestion exercise at the Princess Marina Hospital records hospital, to reduce the number of patients being serviced. He shared that already, this over 30 cases amid Covid-19 surge exercise is bearing fruit, having reduced patient numbers from close to 700 to just under 400 in STAFF WRITER patient in the same condition Hospital Superintendent Dr COVID-19 tests, 15 have tested a few weeks. He explained that who also visited the facility. Tshepo Machacha has said a positive. currently the hospital is only One of Botswana’s major Public The new statistics at the female ward at the hospital Dr Machacha further attending emergency cases, Health facilities, Princess Marina hospital come on the backdrop was the most affected, and emphasised that the hospital is pre-planned appointments Referral Hospital has recorded 31 of the Greater Gaborone Zone subsequently had to be now more robust with testing, as with specialists as well as cases of COVID-19 among its staff coming out of a two week closed off for disinfection. Dr well as enforcement of Personal critical referrals, which have and patients, since ramping up lockdown, after cases in the Machacha said over 800 staff Protective Equipment within to be confirmed before being tests at the beginning of August. zone escalated, with Marina members were tested, with the hospital, to guard against attended to. The exposure to the virus is said implicated among contact areas 16 confirmed positive. He said the spread of the virus withing to have been due to a positive by the COVID19 Task Force, so far in August, from patients its facilities. The Hospital patient who visited the hospital, as a result of being exposed to that are being admitted to the Superintendent also added that coupled by another elderly the virus. hospital, subjected to mandatory there is currently an ongoing Dr Machacha said over 800 staff members‘‘ were tested, with 16 confirmed positive. He said so far in August, from patients that are being admitted to the hospital, subjected to mandatory COVID-19 tests, 15 have tested positive. However, Dr Machacha said there are still large numbers of expectant mothers at the hospital, advising that those that are due for labor should visit nearby clinics that offer such a service.

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