by Derick Tsimba
Government through the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has reassured its citizens that there is no confirmed case of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe.
In a statement yesterday, MoHCC said the nation should be assured that to date no case of COVID-19 has been confirmed.
“The Ministry would like to assure the nation that to date there is NO confirmed case of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. Preparedness measures continue to be stepped up with the training of health care workers from the Southern region currently taking place in Kadoma.
“The Ministry would once again like to advise the public to exercise good personal hygiene (frequent washing of hands with soap and water, covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing etc). This is one of the best prevention measures for COVID-19,” said the MoHCC.
MoHCC also said, “It would like to advise the public to be guided by its COVID-19 Situation Reports (SitReps) that are issued frequently to avoid being misled by unofficial reports. The Ministry SitReps provide accurate and detailed COVID-19 updates for all.
“Recently the latest case referred to Wilkins Infectious Disease Hospital as a suspected case is that of a 26-year old man who came into Zimbabwe on the 14th of February 2020 from Thailand. He presented at Wilkins Hospital on the 8th of March 2020 (more than 14 days after arriving from Thailand), as a referral from a private institution where he had reported a 2-day history of cough (mainly at night), fever and sneezing.
“On admission to Wilkins, he did not meet the WHO case definition of a suspected case but was still earmarked for a COVID-19 test due to intensified surveillance that the country has adopted. The patient was therefore screened but absconded before testing was done. Follow up efforts to his home address was initiated and a police report was made,” said the Ministry.
The Health ministry continues to be guided by and follow World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and advice on COVID-19 surveillance, follow up case management.
