LESOTHO & COMOROS: Only COVID-19 free African nations and how they are doing it

By Francis Otucu

By press time, (3pm in Uganda), Lesotho and Comoros were the only African nations free of coronavirus.

This, as the number of confirmed cases stood at 16, 265 with 873 deaths.

3, 235 have recovered from the infection.

This leaves the total number of infected countries at 52.

Recent 3 COVID-19 tests in Lesotho turned out negative.

They included a sample of a person who died while waiting for results. These tests were conducted in South Africa.

According to Health Minister Nkaku Kabi, the results were encouraging to Basotho.

This, as they continue to adhere to preventive measures, lockdown inclusive and comply with WHO and Health Ministry guidelines against the spread of the virus.

Nkaku also confirmed that government was engaging the South African Health department to arrange distribution of ARVs and other medication for Basotho who are stranded due to the lockdown.

In a statement Monday, Prime Minister, Tom Thabane announced measures touching on the public and private sectors.

He also addressed Basotho students with the Southern Africa Development Community ad those outside the region. Banks have also been directed to revise some regulations while telecom companies are to lower interest rates.

The announcements;

• Disaster Relief Fund – M698 million
• Relief Fund for private sector= M500 million
• Agriculture support = M100 million
• 3-month grants for aged below qualifying age of 70, orphans, informal traders
• Informal traders will not pay license fees during lockdown and 2 months after
• Tax compliant businesses to get payment deadline extension till end of September – deadline to be communicated later
• Simplified business taxation for non-essential services including transport will not be payable
• Banks directed to extend 3-month payment holiday for all affected individuals and companies
• Lending and mobile money interest rates to be lowered
• 45,000 factory workers to be paid three-month subsidy of M 800 per month.

Announcements affecting international students:

• International students (within, outside SADC) to receive additional payments of 3 months
• International (outside SADC) students to be paid additional $300 dollars for 3 months = $900. They are advised to remain at their bases.
• Students within the region will continue to receive allowances – will be assisted to return home if need be.

COMOROS

The Comoros is an island country in the Indian Ocean located at the northern end of the Mozambique, Channel off the eastern coast of Africa between northeastern Mozmbique the French region of Mayotte and northwestern Madagascar.

The nation is the fourth-samallest African nation by area with a population of about 832, 322 people.

With this population and being an island, some experts say it is very unlikely that the virus will land there, despite being in the neighborhoods.

Most are small islands with few visitors, seven of the World’s 10-least visited places, according to the UN.

Comoros consists of three major islands; Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Moheli (Mwali) and Anjouan (Nzwani).

That remoteness means that in this age of social distancing rules, island nations are the original self-isolators.

But even then, the nation’s President, Azali Assumani says, Coronavirus is already a national emergency.