AN employee of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in
Bulawayo, who was in self-isolation pending her coronavirus test results
reportedly violated the regulations and travelled to Gweru with four other
people in her car.
This was after a 27-year-old Zimra male employee tested
positive to Covid-19 (coronavirus) in Bulawayo on 29 April prompting Zimra to
close its Bulawayo offices and send 52 of its workers who might have been exposed
to the virus for testing and mandatory self-isolation. It has since emerged
that one of the 52 workers from the Bulawayo office disregarded self-isolation
regulations and travelled to Gweru where her family is based. She has since
been traced and put under isolation with her family in the Midlands town while
officials are waiting for her results.
It is understood that the woman who resides in Senga
high-density suburb in Gweru but works in Bulawayo was told by officials from
the Ministry of Health and Child Care to go under self-isolation and avoid
interacting with other people but failed to comply and travelled to Gweru with
four other unknown passengers. The passengers could not be immediately traced.
Her trip to Gweru was discovered after the Bulawayo
Provincial Covid-19 Response Team visited her place of residence for routine
check-ups. The team was then advised that she had left for Gweru, prompting it
to advise the Midlands Provincial Covid-19 Rapid Response Team to look for her
at the Senga family home.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Reginald Mhene
confirmed the development saying the province was awaiting test results of the
woman.
“This woman came from Bulawayo despite having been tested
and placed under isolation. Our team has visited her and quarantined her
together with her family while we wait for the results. We are, however, still
to record a single positive case in the province,” he said.
Zimra Commissioner General Faith Mazani had earlier issued
a statement confirming that 52 people from the revenue authority’s Bulawayo
offices have been subjected to testing and self-isolation after one of the
workers tested positive.
“We were notified by the Health and Child Care Ministry
that a frontline staff member of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority tested positive
for coronavirus on 29 April. As Zimra we wish to inform our valued clients and
members of the public that our Bulawayo port offices have been immediately
closed pending comprehensive disinfection as well as receipt of results of 52
officers who may have been exposed to the virus. All the tested individuals
have since been put under mandatory self-isolation for at least 14 days,” she
said.
Said Ms Mazani; “Zimra shall continue to offer essential
services to its valued Bulawayo clients from home as far as possible since our
online services remain uninterrupted. Zimra would want to assure the nation and
all its valued clients that it continues to be dedicated in its mission to
promote economic development through efficient revenue generation facilitation
of legitimate trade and travel. In line with our mandate of protecting the
civil society, the authority is asking for patience and tolerance as we join
the nation in dealing with the devastating effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic.”
Sunday News
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