TWO more Malawian border jumpers who tested positive to
Covid-19 at the Beitbridge Quarantine and Isolation Centre located at the
National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Hotel escaped yesterday.
This comes after two other Malawian nationals who tested
positive for the virus during profiling and screening at the same facility
escaped last month.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi confirmed the development yesterday. He, however, could not disclose
their identities.
“Two Malawian nationals escaped from NSSA Hotel after
testing positive for Covid-19 virus. The cumulative number for escapees is now
184 while those arrested remain at 28. We continue to urge members of the
public to report suspected escapees or those who are entering the country
through undesignated entry points evading the Covid-19 screening process at
their nearest police station or call 0242 70361 or WhatsApp 0712 800 197,” said
Asst Comm Nyathi.
A total of 914 people were arrested on Sunday for violating
Covid-19 lockdown regulations, bringing the total number of arrests countrywide
to 75 134.
Police have said following the escapes, they have put tight
security at the isolation centre and on the boundary of the main quarantine
centre and are being assisted by the Zimbabwe National Army, the Support Unit
and the Duty Uniform Branch (DUB).
The Ministry of Health and Child Care has red flagged
quarantine escapees, especially those that have tested positive for the virus,
as they risk transmitting the virus in communities.
Matabeleland South provincial medical Director Dr Chido
Chikodzore yesterday said Covid-19 patients in her province were asymptomatic
and not in need of clinical care. She urged communities not to harbour
quarantine absconders.
“Our Covid-19 patients are asymptomatic. We, however, need
to work together as health and communities to ensure that Covid-19 is contained
and manageable. We urge communities to report people who have absconded from
quarantine and isolation centres,” she said.
Public Health Activist and Community Working Group on
Health (CWGH) executive director Dr Itai Rusike yesterday said while health
ethics were being followed, it was important to put public health first in
terms of naming patients who escape from quarantine and isolation centres.
“The escapees from the quarantine centres, especially those
that have tested positive to Covid-19, become a danger to the society hence the
need for them to be accountable for their actions. The Ministry of Health and
Child Care must be guided by the Public Health Act on handling and dealing with
the issue of the Beitbridge inmates that escaped from the quarantine centre,”
said Dr Rusike.
According to the Public Health Act, an individual loses
their rights if they are deliberately posing a danger to the rest of society,
as in the case of Covid-19 patients escaping from a quarantine centre and going
into the community.
He said every Zimbabwean had the responsibility to ensure
that communities were safe and that those infected with the virus were at
places where they could not infect others with the virus.
“The Covid-19 cases are escalating exponentially amid a
very weak security system at the quarantine centres. If we don’t address the
actual problem of security lapses, we stand a very high chance of absolute
devastation from Covid-19 as a country. Everyone must play their role
especially those bringing in the infection into the country. It’s sad that
those in transit are now being allowed to also escape from quarantine centres
thereby putting the health of so many people at risk including the health of
people in their destination countries. The security forces must confiscate all
the travel documents before one is booked into a quarantine or isolation centre
as a precaution to stop them from escaping,” said Dr Rusike.
Meanwhile, Asst Comm Nyathi also extended condolences to
families of four members of the security services comprising three police
officers and a member of the Zimbabwe National Army who died in an accident
while on their way to Covid-19 work deployments.
The officers died on the spot while six others were injured
on Sunday afternoon along the Harare-Shamva Road when the accident happened.
“We extend condolences to four members of the security
services comprising three police officers and a member of the Zimbabwe National
Army who perished while on their way to Covid-19 deployments, in a fatal road
accident at the 106km peg along the Harare-Shamva Road on Sunday at about 16:30
hours. We wish a speedy recovery to the six injured members,” said Asst
Commissioner Nyathi. Chronicle
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