According to a local newspaper, Informante, two Namibian women aged 66 and 28, who recently travelled to South Africa, tested positive for the virus.

"The detection of the two cases after a period of 45 days without a new case should rekindle our resolve to intensify the fight against Covid-19 in the country. I express my appreciation to the public for the cooperation that we do not have a local transmission. Let us not lower our guard," Namibian health minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula told the publication. 

The new patients were quarantined in Namibia when their tests were returned with positive results. 

Dr Shangula said that both women were currently not displaying symptoms of the virus, and that their conditions were satisfactory.

The cases bring the latest number of confirmed Covid-19 infections in Namibia to 18; 14 people have recovered from the virus and no deaths have been recorded. 

Meanwhile, The Namibian newspaper reported that three South Africans who illegally crossed into the country to buy cigarettes had been arrested.

According to the daily, a couple was arrested for illegally crossing the border into Namibia at Noordoewer on May 11. The couple crossed the Orange River on foot in a quest to buy tobacco products and other commodities at Noordoewer.

Another South African man was also arrested for illegal entry into Namibia after crossing the Orange River near Noordoewer on a canoe to try and buy tobacco products.

The three were being held in police custody and would be quarantined for 14 days before they were deported. 

The sale of alcohol and tobacco products has been banned in South Africa as part of lockdown measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 but has caused great controversy as government has not released any scientific information stating how the ban would reduce chances of contracting the virus. 

South Africa currently has the highest number of recorded Covid-19 infections in Africa, at 18,003 cases. According to South Africa's health department, 8,950 people have recovered from the virus, while 339 have died of Covid-19 related deaths.   

African News Agency (ANA)