by Grace Chekai   

Government continues to be on high alert in the fight against the deadly coronavirus that has so far infected 2.7 million people globally.

In a press statement yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa said that Government had established isolation and quarantine centres and was also testing returning residents on a daily basis.

“We are a resilient people and we are all playing our part practising preventative and protective behaviour, working with implementation and enforcement agents, and working with implementation and enforcement agents, and working hand in hand with Government to ensure that the nation takes all the necessary steps to prepare and respond to the pandemic,” said the Minister.

Minister Mutsvangwa said that the isolation centres had been situated in administrative districts in all provinces. She added that the training of medical personnel, who will manage these facilities, was also on-going.

She said the returning residents had to be quarantined on arrival according to the lockdown regulations.

“We continue to receive returning residents on a daily basis and according to the lockdown regulations, they have to be screened on arrival, quarantined and tested on Day 8 of this quarantine. And if found negative, they will be released to continue self-isolation at home with full monitoring by health care authorities.

“At the end of the 21 days, they are subjected again to testing,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

She said on Saturday, 34 returning residents who were quarantined at ZIPAM were tested and discharged. She added that five returning residents from Mozambique were quarantined at Rowa Training Centre, in Mutare Rural and in Victoria Falls, 45 returnees are quarantined at Mosi Oa Tunya High School.

The Minister also took the opportunity to announce that Wednesday 29 April is the opening day of the tobacco marketing season. She encouraged stakeholders to adhere to WHO guidelines in order to ensure safe and smooth transactions at the auction floors.

Minister Mutsvangwa said that a month ago, Zimbabwe recorded five cases of coronavirus infected patients but the figure has so far risen to 31.

To date, Zimbabwe has 31 confirmed cases, including five recoveries and four deaths.