Botswana capital in lockdown after new virus cases detected

Authorities in Botswana declared a strict lockdown in the capital Gaborone from Saturday after the discovery of 12 new cases of the coronavirus.

Under the measure, no one will be allowed to leave the Gaborone region, the head of the presidential COVID-19 Task Force, Kereng Masupu, said in a statement.

No movement would be permitted without a permit and only essential services will be allowed to stay open.

Authorities took the decision after 12 new cases, half of them in the capital, were registered in the landlocked southern African country of 2.2 million.

The new cases brought to 60 the number of infections in the country, with one death.

The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that the pandemic is accelerating in Africa, which has thus far been less badly hit by the virus than Europe, Asia and the Americas.