The kingdom of Lesotho had confirmed its first case of COVID-19, becoming the last country on the continent to record a case of the respiratory illness. The patient is a Lesotho national studying in Saudi Arabia.
The single case, according to a report, was recorded after the country’s Health Ministry conducted tests on 81 travelers, who arrived from South Africa and Saudi Arabia. The country’s neighbor, South Africa, has recorded more than 10, 000 cases.
Like many other countries across the globe, Lesotho went into lockdown on March 29 to protect itself from the spread of the virus. Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane, however, eased restrictions on movement on May 6, allowing “all non-essential service and enterprises” to “temporary open shop”.
Hundreds of Lesotho nationals are currently working in South Africa. The Finance Minister in an interview, pleaded with those wanting to be repatriated to remain in South Africa, fearing that some might come back with the virus, BBC reported.
Meanwhile, the embattled Prime Minister, Thabane, is set to resign by May 22nd his spokesman confirmed, dispelling rumors that the Prime Minister handed in his resignation letter to the King on Wednesday.
Thabane’s departure, according to many, will mark the end of a political crisis that has plagued the nation. Parliament has already provisionally named Finance Minister Moeketsi Majoro as his replacement.
