PLUMTREE High School, which has been turned into an
isolation centre for deportees from Botswana as part of measures to curb the
spread of Covid-19, on Tuesday received 87 more deportees bringing the total number
to 368.
The deportees have been spread among three hostels and
those that came in yesterday were screened and tested for coronavirus.
The deportees are being handled by an inter-ministerial
team under the district civil protection unit (CPU).
In a telephone interview yesterday, Plumtree Town council
chairman, Councillor Fanisani Dube confirmed that they received the deportees
from Botswana.
“We received 87 deportees on Tuesday who came from Botswana
in two batches and they have been placed under quarantine at the school.
“We have accommodated them in three hostels to avoid
overcrowding and they are grouped according to their genders,” said Cllr Dube.
Cllr Dube said the deportees were tested before admission
at the isolation centre and none of them showed symptoms of Covid-19.
“So far none of them are showing any symptoms of the virus
and they were screened and tested as they came into the centre,” he said.
Bulilima West Member of Parliament Cde Dingumuzi Phuti who
visited the centre yesterday accompanied by Cllr Dube said officials at the
isolation centre indicated that they have a carrying capacity of 500.
“I am happy with the level of dedication to social work
displayed by officials from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social
Welfare through the able stewardship of their authorities,” said Cde Phuthi.
Cde Phuthi assured communities in Plumtree, who had raised
fears that the isolation centre would expose them to infections, that they were
safe.
He added that the town’s business community will be roped
in to provide essential services to the deportees. Chronicle
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