POLICE are hunting for 215 individuals — including some who
are infected with coronavirus (Covid-19)
— who escaped from quarantine centres around the country, the Daily News
reports.
This comes as the
country as of Sunday night had recorded 985 confirmed cases, including 328
recoveries and 18 deaths amid revelations by the police that law enforcement
agents have arrested at least 99 350 people for contravening lockdown rules.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told the Daily News
yesterday that law enforcement agents were gravely concerned after realising
that of the 15 individuals who escaped from various centres last week, some of
them were positive.
“We have 244 people who escaped from quarantine centres,
but 29 have been arrested. We had about three escapees over the last weekend,
but we are more concerned about the 15 who escaped last month because some of
them were positive. That is a cause for concern and that is why we are calling
on members of the public to act responsibly. The escapees contravened Covid-19
lockdown regulations hence they are liable to prosecution,” Nyathi said.
He also said over 90 000 arrests have been made so far
since the lockdown regulations were put in place in March.
“They were arrested for various offences, including liquor
violations and not wearing face masks, which is a cause for concern because
these people will be exposing the public to the risk of infection.
“Out of the arrests made, 77 were truck drivers who were
transporting people. Police also arrested 469 individuals for smuggling and
border jumping,” Nyathi said.
Two of the
Covid-19-positive people escaped from Pangani Training Centre in Matabeleland
South, while seven are from Bulawayo Polytechnic and the rest from Mushagashe
Training Centre in Masvingo.
All this comes as health authorities have warned the
country to brace for further increases in the number of people contracting the
lethal Covid-19. In addition, they
also warned that the local spread of the disease was likely to put paid to hopes
of schools re-opening at the end of the month.
Returnees from other countries are first placed under
quarantine as part of measures to stop the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, the
government has banned churches from conducting services in schools, stating
that they were increasing the chances of spreading the virus when schools open
later this month.
Churches were recently allowed to resume services albeit
under strict conditions, including adherence to physical distancing, use of
hand sanitisers, temperature testing and limiting the number of congregants to
50. Daily News
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