A Bulawayo woman who travelled to South Africa for medical
attention has been placed under self-quarantine together with her family after
a patient treated by her South African doctor tested positive for Covid-19.
In Harare, two other people, one who travelled from China
and another from the United Kingdom are now in isolation at Wilkins Hospital in
Harare. Results for the three cases are
expected to be released today.
Cabinet is also today expected to decide on Bulawayo’s
hosting of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and Independence Day
celebrations as more manpower is being deployed to Beitbridge Border Post for
screening of Covid-19 following an increase in South Africa’s positive cases.
South Africa, which has closed 35 of its ports of entry,
yesterday said it would not close the border with Zimbabwe due to its economic
importance as positive cases reached 64.
In an interview yesterday, Health and Child Care Minister,
Dr Obadiah Moyo said in Bulawayo, the woman who had sought medical attention in
South Africa was under isolation with her family at home.
“Her doctor attended
to another patient who tested positive for corona at the same facility while
she was also there in Johannesburg South Africa. It is not the doctor who
tested positive. The woman returned in the country on Tuesday 9 March. She is
in self-quarantine, the rapid response team visited her home and put her in
quarantine at home while waiting for results. No one from that house can go out
and environmental health officials pay visit daily to her home to assess if
they are in compliance with self-quarantine orders,” said the Minister. “In
light of this development we remain at the same situation unless the
results state otherwise. For all the
cases we are waiting for results. They are other two, one who came from
Shanghai (China) and the other one from United Kingdom. They are both admitted
at Wilkins Hospital. We don’t want people to panic, once we have the results, we will make them
public. The results for the three cases will be released tomorrow (today).”
Dr Moyo said a tourist who left the country on March 10 via
South Africa also tested positive upon his return to his home country,the
United Kingdom.
He said Government has since started contact tracing of all
those who interfaced with the tourist in Victoria Falls.
Dr Moyo said more people will be deployed to Beitbridge to
strengthen capacity in the event of high volumes of traffic pushed by the
closure of other borders which people previously used to access south Africa.
On Sunday, the Minister told The Chronicle that Cabinet
will today decide on Bulawayo’s hosting of Independence celebrations and other
related issues.
Bulawayo Mayor Councilor Solomon Mguni in an interview said
council’s report from the Health Services Department on its position on hosting
of major events in the face of the threat of Covid-19 will be released later
this week.
He said for now council will await Cabinet’s decision.
“I have said it
would be safer to suspend all big gatherings for at least two months while
observing global trends and paving a way forward. It poses a big risk to bring
the world to converge here when there is such a problematic virus.
“However, we eagerly await cabinet to decide and hope that
the decision will be the best in the public interest,” said the Mayor.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education Mrs Tumisang Thabela said schools that were telling parents
and guardians to keep children at home if they exhibited flu like symptoms were
doing the right thing.
“We are still waiting for an update from the Ministry of
Health and Child Care therefore any major decision that we can take as a
ministry will be guided by the health ministry. Schools that are telling
parents to withdraw pupils who exhibit flu like symptoms are doing the right
thing as they are protecting the sick child, the rest of the class, the school
and the teacher.
“For now, one can never be so sure when it comes to flue.
It is therefore necessary that the best safest measures are taken, as we await
guidance,” she said.
Zimbabwe Council of Churches secretary general Dr Kenneth
Mtata in a statement yesterday urged members and Zimbabweans in general to
avoid the “contact practice.”
He said the virus was spreading fast and Africa will not be
spared.
“It is now clear that the Covid 19 has been declared a
pandemic and is spreading fast around the world. Faith communities are
especially vulnerable because religion is a contact practice through holy
communion, baptisms, laying of hands, handshakes, embraces, kisses of love.
Faith communities will need to desist from these contact rituals to avoid
contaminating each other and getting infected. We also need to dispel myths
like black people are immune from the virus and that Africa will be spared. If
possible, avoid being part of any crowd or gathering,” he said.
Some Zimbabweans in South Africa are in panic mode as the
virus spreads in the neighbouring country.
Locals are also worrying about relatives scattered across
Europe, Asia, America and some parts of Africa where the virus is ravaging.
Zimbabwe Community in South Africa Chairman Mr Ngqabutho
Mabhena urged Zimbabweans not to panic but to remain calm and follow all advice
on staying safe from the Covid-19.
“Zimbabweans in South Africa are updated by the
announcements made by the South African government. Some gatherings for the
Zimbabwe community which had been scheduled for this month have since been cancelled,”
he said.
“We also want to concur with the department of health and
to remind all Zimbabweans here to follow all guidance on hygiene and staying
safe so as to protect ourselves and our families. We further urge the people to
desist from any large gatherings as per the government directive.” Chronicle
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