There is no need for Zimbawbwe to panic over the continued
spike in confirmed Covid-19 cases but citizens must continue observing the
basic hygiene practices and social distancing as recommended by public health
experts, the World Health Organisation has said.
Zimbabwe’s confirmed cases had jumped to 174 by Saturday
after 14 more people tested positive, to conclude a week that saw the
cumulative total of patients rising by more than 100 and most of the new cases
were of returnees from either South Africa or Botswana who are at the different
quarantine centres.
WHO country representative Dr Alex Gasasira said on Friday
that the surge in confirmed cases called for enhanced responses towards
combating Covid-19.
“There is no need to panic. What we would say is that there
is need for enhanced vigilance, enhanced compliance with the prevention
measures that the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its partners have been
sharing with the public,” said Dr Gasasira.
He said following the spike in cases, particularly from
quarantine facilities, WHO was sure that Government had started contact tracing
and isolating those that tested positive to prevent further spread within the
facilities and beyond.
Zimbabweans needed to comply with guidance given by public
health experts as opposed to what can now be seen, especially in high density
areas, where people have started congregating in large numbers, without face
masks and not observing the required social distancing.
Said Dr Gasasira: “Every individual must continue to have
the highest level of hand hygiene, to keep physical distance from others, to
wear a mask whenever one is going to a public place, to look after that mask
properly, and to ensure that when you are sick or someone close to you is sick,
they report for proper assessment.
“This is what is supposed to be done and that is what we
would highly recommend.”
People with relatives coming in from other countries must
also tell their relatives of the need to go into quarantine, be screened and
get tested for Covid-19 before joining the rest of the family so that their
families and the returning residents remain safe.
Government has warned the country that there may well be
more patients as more return home, with a majority of them coming from
countries that have recorded high numbers of confirmed cases. Herald
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