GABORONE, Jan 3, Reuters Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is in mandatory self isolation after testing positive for COVID 19 in routine testing, a government spokeswoman said on Monday.
The president does not have any symptoms and will continue to receive close medical monitoring from his medical doctors, John-Thomas Dipowe, acting permanent secretary for Government Communications, said in a statement.
Vice President Slumber Tsogwane will assume the president's responsibilities until further notice, while Masisi is in isolation, Dipowe said.
The new coronaviruses have risen sharply in the southern African country since the detection of the Omicron variant late last year, to an average of 2,500 every three days from under 300 over the same period before Omicron.
Health officials say hospitalisations have not spiked.
Botswana has been vaccinated with 71% of its eligible population of around 1.3 million people.
On December 29th, health officials said that Botswana would start administering booster doses, while the age limit for vaccination was reduced to 12 years from 18 years.