MASERU, Lesotho — Most of the world had seen copious cases of COVID-19 early on. Lesotho, the small enclave nation within South Africa, remained one of few nations without cases. In fact, even into early May 2020, it was the only African nation to not have any confirmed cases. Yet, on May 12, there was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Lesotho. Lesotho later confirmed another case of COVID-19 on May 22 and then two more cases on June 3.
COVID-19 in Lesotho
One thing that can be taken away from this situation is proof of the pervasiveness of SARS-CoV-2. Lesotho declared a national emergency as early as March over the virus despite having no cases. At that time, it had not yet restricted travel but mandated a 14-day quarantine for nationals returning to the enclave due to fears that the virus would overwhelm the nation’s limited medical resources. Greater travel restrictions soon followed though as Lesotho closed its borders with South Africa, which continues to have the highest number of coronavirus cases in Africa.
Lesotho started a national lockdown on March 29 and ended it on May 5 due to the lack of cases. Exactly a week later, however, the nation received news of its first case. It seemed as though the virus entered the enclave the moment Lesotho ended its lockdown despite all of the precautions it took. This emphasized the importance of such provisions in preventing the spread of the virus. Now that COVID-19 in Lesotho had increased, the nation will have to address the many questions that will arise because of it.
How Will the Nation Be Affected?
Many people and organizations in Lesotho continue to express caution despite the lifting of the lockdown more than a month prior and the recovery of two of the four cases. For instance, Mokhosi Mohapi, the secretary-general of the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), stated that the country would have to address certain issues before resuming local sports activities, including testing, screening and education. Lesotho’s citizens, while worried about what the virus may entail for the nation, are also worried about what further lockdowns may mean for their livelihoods.
According to a joint report by the World Bank and the Lesotho Bureau of Statistics released in December 2019, almost half of the country’s population lives in poverty with about 75% either in poverty or vulnerable to poverty. Hence, COVID-19 lockdowns may prove to be more harmful than beneficial to Lesotho’s citizenry as the majority of the populations have no other choice but to work to survive. The closing of non-essential businesses as part of the recent national lockdown had resulted in irreversible financial damage to many small businesses. It put many at risk of permanent closure even after the end of the lockdown.
The disruption of imports from South Africa, which Lesotho depends on greatly for resources, by the recent national lockdown also resulted in scarcity that elevated the prices of food, drink and other necessities. All of these factors resulted in the huge boost in the number of food-insecure households in Lesotho seen after the national lockdown was put in place in March.
The Dangers to Vulnerable Communities
There are also more complex issues that arise from lockdowns, particularly the effects a lockdown has on vulnerable groups. For instance, women have found themselves especially burdened by the national lockdown. Many have no choice but to stay in volatile situations such as abusive households. In fact, Gender Minister Dr. Mahali Phamotse reported that several women were sexually assaulted during the national lockdown due to their volatile home situations.
Autistic children, who lost the routine of normal school, are also struggling. They are having difficulty connecting with online learning and living with families who do not know how to deal with meltdowns. People with albinism, who are often hunted for their body parts in southern Africa, are also at risk. They are forced to stay in communities that may expose them to potential hunters. Furthermore, they have limited access to medical necessities such as skin cancer treatments and sunscreen.
Dealing with the Crisis
Lesotho’s situation is also unique in that it is one of three independent enclaves in the world, the other two being San Marino and Vatican City. An enclave is a piece of land that is surrounded by another larger and distinct piece of land. In Lesotho’s case, that is South Africa. As cases in South Africa continue to increase rapidly, Lesotho has been forced to close borders with its surrounding neighborhoods. Yet, many people continue to illegally cross the border between the two nations, creating more opportunities for the virus to spread within the enclave.
The UNDP is working to help combat COVID-19 in Lesotho. It is providing 30 grants for innovations based on economic resilience and 10 based on “[social cohension, communication and advocacy.” These ideas must be solutions-oriented towards community engagement, digital solutions and economic security.
With all of these factors considered, Lesotho faces a difficult situation. It may be possible that further lockdowns will be needed now that the virus is actually present in the nation, but will the ramifications of another lockdown be worth the effort? All in all, now that COVID-19 in Lesotho’s has increased, the small nation is going to have to make several difficult decisions as it deals with the virus.
– Aryan Ashraf
Photo: Flickr