Botswana president, MPs end quarantine after testing negative

Botswana president, MPs end quarantine after testing negative

Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi and all the country's MPs ended 14 days of self-isolation on Thursday after testing negative for coronavirus.

Mokgweetsi Masisi - AFP
AFP

The head of state and his legislators were quarantined after they were screened by a nurse who had contracted the new virus.

"The director of health services has released (President) Masisi... and (Vice President) Slumber Tsogwane from home quarantine today," the presidency said in a statement.

"This follows release of their COVID-19 test results which came out negative." 

The presidency told AFP that all of Botswana's 63 MPs had also been cleared. 

READ: Two top Botswana health officials sacked

Masisi has been quarantined twice over the past month.

Botswana has recorded 22 coronavirus cases so far, including one death.

Masisi has imposed a 28-day period of "extreme social distancing" from April 2 to limit the spread of infection.

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