JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Some lawmakers in Botswana have been moved to supervised quarantine after failing to observe an instruction to self-isolate as the country tries to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the government said on Friday.
All of the country’s parliamentarians, including President Mokgweetsi Masisi, had been asked to quarantine for 14 days and be tested for the coronavirus, after a health worker screening lawmakers for the virus herself tested positive.
Some members of parliament had since breached quarantine by going to supermarkets, “spreading the risk”, a statement posted on the government’s official Twitter account said.
“This is regrettable and the public is informed that the MPs have been removed from home quarantine and will be quarantined under government supervised quarantine,” said the statement, from Malaki Tshipayagae, director of health services at the ministry of health.
It did not disclose the number of lawmakers involved or who they were.
Lawmakers were given the option to self-isolate at home or to be taken to facilities designated by the government after the nurse who had screened them tested positive.
Botswana has reported 13 coronavirus cases and one death.
(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Frances Kerry)
