Namibia's President Hage Geingob has announced during a media briefing to update the nation on the latest COVID-19 situation in the country on 11 September 2020 that all 14 regions of Namibia will remain in stage three of the COVID-19 state of emergency for another 5 days (13 September 2020 - midnight on 17 September 2020). As of 11 September 2020, Namibia had 9,437 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 98 deaths. A total of 4,898 individuals have recovered from the disease.
The following measures will apply during the extended stage three of Namibia's COVID-19 state of emergency (travel and tourism related only):
- Travel restrictions into and out of the City of Windhoek, Okahandja and Rehoboth Local Authority Areas remain in force.
- International travel:
- Travel out of Namibia will be permitted via Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek, subject to quarantine at own cost (!) upon return.
- Entry and exit into Namibia for business travel purposes will be permitted Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek. This is in addition to the tourism revival initiative and subject to quarantine at own cost (!) upon arrival or return.
- To complement economic activities, the daily curfew hours will now commence from 22:00 to 05:00 countrywide
- The following business activities will be permitted to resume, countrywide, including within the restricted areas of the City of Windhoek, Okahandja and Rehoboth Local Authorities:
- Restaurants, Cafes and Informal Food Traders may reopen for sit down meals and may sell alcohol for onsite consumption only.
- For Shebeens, Bars and Liquor Outlets, trading hours for the sale of alcohol will remain the same countrywide and alcohol is only to be sold for off-site consumption (!)
- Entertainment events, conferences and workshops may resume, in compliance with the limit on public gatherings (50 people max.!) as well as health and hygiene protocols.
- Nightclubs and gambling houses are to remain closed (!) for the duration of this period. Due to the curfew (22:00 - 05:00), theses businesses may not be able to operate.
Namibia's President Hage Geingob has announced during a media briefing to update the nation on the latest COVID-19 situation in the country on 28 August 2020 that all 14 regions of Namibia will remain in stage three of the COVID-19 state of emergency for another 14 days (29 August 2020 - midnight on 12 September 2020).
The following measures apply:
- Khomas Region: Travel restrictions remain in force prohibiting exit and entry into the restricted City of Windhoek, Okahandja and Rehoboth Local Authority Areas.
- Erongo Region: The exit and entry travel restriction of the Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis Local Authority Areas is lifted. Members of the public may now travel into and out of these areas to other parts of Namibia.
The following measures apply in addition to existing stage three regulations for all 14 regions of Namibia (travel and tourism related only):
- The daily curfew from 20:00 to 05:00 is extended to countrywide curfew.
- Public gatherings remain limited to a maximum of 10 persons countrywide.
- Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) in Windhoek will open from 01 September 2020 for the International Tourism Revival Initiative.
Covid-19 in Namibia:
- At present, Namibia has the highest rate of new infections per population on the continent,
- Namibia has recorded 6,712 confirmed COVID-19 cases (as of 28 August 2020).
- In terms of testing coverage, Namibia has tested 21 people per one thousand persons, as at 27 August 2020. This is among the highest testing coverage on the continent, surpassed only by South Africa and Rwanda.
- On 27 August 2020, Namibia recorded the 60th COVID-19-related death.
update (28 June 2019): Tour company Namibia Reservations has released more information about the famous "Desert Express". The luxury train will be travelling between Windhoek and Swakopmund on the following weekends in 2019: 26 July, 09 & 23 August, 06 & 27 September, 11 & 25 October, 15 & 19 November and 13 December. One way tickets (Windhoek > Swakopmund) cost N$4400/person (GBP245 | €273 | USD310) sharing; return tickets (Windhoek > Swakopmund > Windhoek) cost N$6160/person sharing (GBP343 | €382 | USD435). Namibian and SADC rates are available on request.
According to Namibian specialist business website Namibia Economist, the "Desert Express", a weekly tourist-orientated train service between Windhoek and Swakopmund, will be operational again from the end of June 2019. Further details, such as the train schedule and train fares, are not known yet, but will be published at a later stage.
The "Desert Express" service was launched by TransNamib, the state-owned railway enterprise of Namibia, in 1998 and got (temporarily) suspended in 2015 due to a lack of maintenance.
