Location: Namibia (countrywide)
Event: COVID-19 Weekly Update, August Lufthansa Flight
The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services has confirmed 2,540 cases of COVID-19 in Namibia. 556 of these cases have recovered, and there have been 12 fatalities.
The majority of Namibia remains at “Stage 4” of Namibia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic until at least September 17, 2020, though the Namibian Government enacted stricter Stage 4 measures as of August 3, 2020. These measures include: reducing the size limit of public gatherings from 250 to 100 people, banning spectators at sporting events, and suspending face-to-face education for 28 days for pre-primary through grade 9 students. The Erongo Region remains at Stage 3 and travel between towns in the Erongo Region and to the rest of the country is permitted, with the exception of the Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis Local Authority Areas. Travel between these Local Authority Areas is permitted, though travel into and out of these Local Authority Areas to the rest of the country is restricted to emergency situations only. Additional information about these measures can be found on the Namibian Presidency’s Facebook page and Twitter page.
As a reminder, the Namibian Government has added an additional Stage – Stage 5 – to address the opening of ports of entry and the resumption of air travel. Stage 5 will commence no earlier than September 18, 2020. Until then, Namibia’s borders will remain closed to non-Namibians, with the exception of permanent residence permit holders and certain professionals with valid work permits. All Namibians and non-Namibians entering the country must submit to a COVID-19 test on arrival and mandatory, government-supervised quarantine at their own cost. All non-Namibians must also present a negative COVID-19 test result valid for 72 hours before entering Namibia.
The U.S. Embassy in Windhoek has been informed that Lufthansa will operate a repatriation flight departing Namibia on August 22. Seats on this flight can be booked through the following Namibian travel agencies: Rennie’s Travel, Trip Travel, XL Travel Professionals, and Expert Travel. The flight will depart Windhoek at 00:15 local time on August 22, and arrive in Frankfurt at 10:35 local time. Pricing is as follows: Economy Class, EUR 977; Premium Economy, EUR 1,381; Business Class, EUR 2,106. Onward travel can also be booked through the agencies listed above or by the individual traveler.
If you have not yet expressed your interest in a repatriation flight and would like information on any future flights, should they become available, please fill out one Repatriation Form per potential traveler and you will be contacted by the U.S. Embassy.
If you are a U.S. citizen remaining in Namibia, please verify that you have registered in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). As a reminder, the Consular Section is only offering limited routine services, and staff are working remotely to the greatest extent possible. Should you have an inquiry for the Consular Section, please contact us at ConsularWindhoek@state.gov. If you have an emergency involving a U.S. citizen, please contact the Embassy at +264-61-295-8500.
The Department of State has issued a Global Level 4 Health Advisory for COVID-19, and the Centers for Disease Control issued on March 27, 2002 a global Warning Level 3 Travel Health Notice to avoid nonessential international travel.
Actions to Take:
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Namibia.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States
Assistance:
- U.S. Embassy Windhoek, Namibia
- 14 Lossen St., Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
- +264-61-295-8522; +264-85-686-0853 (U.S. citizen emergencies after hours)
- ConsularWindhoek@state.gov
- https://na.usembassy.gov/
- State Department – Consular Affairs
- 888-407-4747 202-501-4444
- Namibia Country Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter