The President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, is in self-isolation following his visit to Namibia.

"The rational for imposition of self-isolation is that while Namibia has registered three imported cases and considered low-risk for Covid-19 transmission at the time of His Excellency the President's trip to Namibia, the low testing rate in the region makes that determination difficult and there is high possibility of undetermined local transmission," spokesperson Andrew Sesinyi said.

"During the time of self-isolation, His Excellency will be tested for Covid-19 prior to being cleared. His Excellency the President will, as such, be working from his official residence but quarantined away from his family. The director of health services has extended the same impositions to the rest of the entourage that travelled with His Excellency the President to Namibia."

Masisis would be in self-isolation for two weeks. He attended the inauguration of Namibian President Hage Geingob in Windhoek on Saturday.

A German national tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19), bringing Namibia’s confirmed cases to three. 

Health Minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said the 61-year-old man arrived in the country on March 13, from Zimbabwe where he had arrived on March 4 from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 

There was no immediate confirmation with regard to the airlines used by the patient. The man was initially hospitalised at a local hospital after showing symptoms of Covid-19, the New Era newspaper reported.

"Specimens were taken and sent to a laboratory, and the results came back positive. He remains in isolation and in stable condition. The ministry of health-led response is actively following up with all contacts of this person to ensure proper quarantine and monitoring for symptoms," Shangula told the newspaper.

Bloomberg reported that Germany would ban public gatherings of more than two people to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) situation report as of March 21, there were 292 142 confirmed worldwide with 12 784 deaths.

The Western Pacific Region recorded 94 787 confirmed with 3 438 deaths, the European Region had 151 293 confirmed with 7 426 deaths.

The South-East Asia Region registered 1 257 confirmed with 45 deaths, the Eastern Mediterranean Region had 23 669 confirmed  and 1 596 deaths.

The Region of the Americas had 19 685 confirmed and 252 deaths  while the African Region had 739 confirmed and 20 deaths.