Botswana is stuck with international media reports suggesting that a new Covid-19 variant with multiple mutilations emerged in the country.
This has made it worse off than the countries of origin for the visiting diplomats who tested positive for the variant.
It is understood that fearing stoking a diplomatic row with the diplomats of the country or countries that the four individuals originate from and also to avoid violating World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols which prohibit countries from naming nationalities or identifying those testing positive for the virus, Botswana found herself stuck with what has been termed “Botswana variant” by the international media.
The Telegraph has turned up information showing that as internet sites became awash with claims that the variant emerged in the country, Botswana also found herself fighting an uphill battle in an effort to fend off international media reports that the variant emerged in the country.
By Friday, Botswana attempted to cobble up a strategy to offset growing perception that the variant originates from the southern African nation.
Responding queries, spokesperson in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Shirley Mukamambo told The Telegraph that a decision was long taken by the World Health Organization (WHO) to give COVID-19 variants names that do not link them to any countries for purposes of avoiding stigmatizing certain countries or people in the event any virus or variant is believed to have originated in that country.
“In line with this position, we are reluctant to reveal the nationalities of the four people who tested positive for B. 1. 1. 529, save to say they were all foreigners and have since left the country,” she said.
There are fears that despite growing international restrictions over the variant which scientists described as the most alarming variant found since Delta, there are no indications that Botswana would also impose travel restrictions from the country or countries where the four people originate.
Another Ministry of Health spokesperson Christopher Nyanga issued a statement on Friday stating that “contrary to speculations and in some cases insinuations by some that the variant was only detected in Botswana , the truth of the matter is that the that the variant has so far been detected in other countries in Africa and beyond.”
He said the new virus was detected on foreign nationals who had entered Botswana on the 7th November 2021 on a diplomatic mission. The quartet tested positive for COVID-19 on the 11th as they were preparing to return.
“Although all the four case have left the country, contact tracing is ongoing adding that thus far all the contacts that have been identified in the country have no Covid-19 symptoms and have tested negative for the pandemic.”
On claims that by failing to name the country or countries of origin for the four cases has led to Botswana being accused of not being transparent in the manner she handles COVID-19 related issues, Mukamambo said Botswana remains open and transparent in information sharing about Covid-19 and other diseases and disease outbreaks with the aim of among others, containing the spread of diseases and also for information sharing on disease management and treatment.
“Following the detection of the B 1. 1. 529 variant, Botswana has issued public statements about this development. The ministry has also made it clear in its public statement that this variant has not only been detected in Botswana, but in other countries in Africa and beyond,” she said.
Concerns were also raised that there appears to be some discrepancies in the press releases issued by the Ministry and the Presidential Task Force. According to press release by the Task Force, the variant was reported and recorded on 22 November but the Ministry’s release states that the quartet tested positive on 11th November?
Replying, Mukamambo said “There is no inconsistency. The quartet tested positive for Covid-19 on 11 November 2021. Analysis of the results showed the new virus lineage on 22 November 2021. The variant was confirmed as B 1. 1. 529 on 24 November 2021. So the above is the chronology of the results and their analysis process.”
