FROM zero Covid-19 infections at the beginning of this
month, Bulawayo has become the country’s Covid-19 epicentre with 10 cases,
overtaking Harare which all along had the highest number of cases.
When April started, Harare had the most Covid-19 cases
followed by Mashonaland East. Matabeleland North had one case, while Bulawayo
had none.
Harare is now second with eight cases. Failure to adhere to
lockdown and self-isolation measures have been cited as the main reasons why
Bulawayo recorded increased Covid-19 cases this week.
Although the country’s first case was confirmed on March
20, 2020 and involved a 38-year-old male from Victoria Falls who had returned
from the United Kingdom, he self-isolated at home and so far, none of his
contacts have tested positive.
Health authorities yesterday said people disregarding
lockdown measures and not observing social distancing while queuing for basic
commodities and other services, could result in a further increase in Covid-19
cases.
On Wednesday, a record five new cases were confirmed in
Bulawayo.
Newly appointed acting Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director
Dr Welcome Mlilo yesterday said non-compliance to lockdown measures in general
and self-isolation orders are the main reasons why the city has increased
cases.
“From what I have seen people initially responded very well
to lockdown measures but all of a sudden, it seems people have taken a view
that they are on holiday, children playing on the streets and others
unnecessarily going to town. There is so much unnecessary movement if I can put
it that way,” said Dr Mlilo.
“It’s an issue of whether we are following the lockdown
measures that have been put in place. Are people observing the lockdown? Are
the citizens of Bulawayo observing the lockdown? Are we following the messages
that are coming from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, hand washing, are
we practicing social-distancing? those are the key issues that play an
important role in controlling this outbreak.”
Dr Mlilo said the local rapid response team was working
with security forces to make sure that the public is protected from Covid-19.
He said the local rapid response team was tracing
individuals who may have been in contact with the confirmed cases in the city.
Dr Mlilo said city health officials were doing a splendid
job in tracing all the suspected cases while stressing the need to observe all
lockdown measures.
“The public needs to understand that Covid-19 is with us.
It’s not a theory. So, going forward we need to be responsible for each other.
We should protect each other by adhering to the advice that the Ministry of
Health and Child Care has been giving,” said Dr Mlilo.
Another health expert, Dr Ritta Dlodlo said the increase in
Covid-19 cases in Bulawayo shows that the city is effective in tracing suspected
Covid-19 patients.
She also said testing for Covid-19 at Mpilo Central
Hospital, which started on Sunday has contributed to the city testing more
cases.
“It suggests that our response team is working. The health
services department led by Dr Edwin Sibanda and Dr Khulamuzi Nyathi and all the
teams working on the rapid response are doing the right thing, which is looking
and detecting persons who may have symptoms. The people may have travelled or
not travelled abroad or have met someone who might have travelled abroad where
Covid-19 outbreak is at an advanced stage,” said Dr Dlodlo.
Zimbabwe Medical Association president Dr Francis Mavuka
Chiwora said defiance of lockdown measures by residents is of concern for the
city as it can lead to an increase in local transmissions.
“The numbers that we are having here are community
transmissions, it’s people being in contact with people around. Rather than
those who have been infected coming from outside. So, if the lockdown is not as
effective as we have already alluded to, then we are going to have community
transmissions and that is a very dangerous situation. We need as Bulawayo to
enforce our lockdown more strictly and people should actually stay in their
homes,” said Dr Chiwora.
He said the Ministry of Health and Child Care should also
expedite mass testing as some patients can unknowingly be spreading the virus.
“The other thing is that every case that we have identified
is of people who are sick. We test them because they are sick but there are
others who might have the virus but do not feel sick and are not tested. This
is one of the dangers that we have. We need to be testing more not wait for
someone to fall sick. Remember less than 20 percent of the people who contract
the virus feel sick, so 80 percent may not feel sick but passing the virus to
other people. That is where the danger lies.”
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube said
residents will be fooling themselves if they do not adhere to lockdown
procedures. Chronicle
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