Tourism director Dr Sem Shikongo has said that Namibia and the tourism industry are dealing with fear and hysteria emanating from western countries in relation to the coronavirus.

Shikongo said presently there is no cross-sectorial and inter-ministerial coordination to discuss how best to deal with the virus.

This as South Africa this week recorded its first-ever coronavirus case.

Shikongo said if the virus is to get out of hand and the hysteria continues, job security in tourism will be threatened and tourists will stop coming to Namibia.

He appealed for African countries to get adequate data on the virus and rethink how best it can find and make use of African solutions to the crisis as opposed to those prescribed by western countries.