• nursing assistants’ association says more could have died from the virus

Limpho Sello

NINE people have now died from Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Lesotho, according to the Ministry of Health.

The ministry also reports that Covid-19 cases have now breached the 400 mark to peak at 419 infections, from the previously reported 359 and six deaths, by Thursday.

According to the ministry, 113 out of the 419 patients have since recovered. All in all, 7432 people have been tested for Covid-19 to date. However, this number is still too small for a country of 2, 1 million people.

Although the death toll is officially nine people, the figure could be higher. This after the Qiloane Nursing Assistants Association (Qinuasa) revealed that two of its members had died of the disease after the latest Covid-19 statistics were released by the ministry on Thursday.

Qinuasa president David Matšela yesterday told the Sunday Express that they recently lost three of their members to Covid-19.

Mr Matšela said one of the patients, who died last week, had been included in the nine deaths recorded by the ministry. He said the other two died on Thursday and Friday at the Berea isolation hospital.

However, the two deaths were not included in the official figures as they occurred after the statistics had been released.

“We have lost three of our members to Covid-19 to date,” Mr Matšela said.

“The first victim was buried on Friday in Khubetsoana and is included among the nine deaths recorded to date. The other two were not recorded because they died after the statistics had been released.

“This means the deaths are more than nine and this will probably be captured when the new figures are released.”

At least 45 health professionals around the country are said to have contracted Covid-19 in their line of work. Former Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki’s wife, Dr Thabelo Ramatlapeng, is the most high-profile health worker who is Covid-19 positive.

Dr Thabelo, also known as Malimpho Moleleki, has been admitted at the Berea hospital since 18 July 2020. Ms Moleleki is a medical doctor by profession. She is employed at the Health ministry as the director of primary health care.

Mr Moleleki has also tested positive and he was admitted at the Berea facility on Wednesday. He is the most high-profile politician to test positive.