Windhoek, Jul 1 (IANS): A new lockdown will come into force in Namibia on Thursday and a ban on all international travel will also be enforced in an effort to curb the latest resurgence of new Covid-19 cases in the country, President Hage Geingob announced.

In his announcement late Wednesday, Geingob also maintained public gatherings at 10 persons per event and changed the curfew from 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

He said while the decision to lock down the economy would attract destructive implications on the economy, he has decided to take the hard decision to protect people lives.

"Having recovered from Covid-19 myself I have seen the need to take difficult decision to protect ourselves. I also urge all Namibians to get vaccinated."

Namibia is now recording 1,798 daily cases on average, with a positivity rate 41 per cent, while 513 people succumbed to the pandemic in the past 15 days, he said.

The country has so far reported 88,553 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,467 deaths, while a total of 123,954 vaccine doses have been administered.

The President has also restricted the sale of liquor and banned any such activities on weekends.

He said all road and air traffic services will no longer be allowed to operate inter-regional routes, while a special arrangement will be made for tourists.