Malawian Detained In Zimbabwe Remains in quarantine
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Malawian Detained In Zimbabwe Remains in quarantine

A Malawi national quarantined at the Beitbridge District coronavirus management centre on Wednesday after showing high temperature is still awaiting results, while his 19 compatriots who were on the same bus were taken by Government officials to the next border.

Health officials here moved swiftly to quarantine the man who exhibited signs of a fever and had a history of coughing.

Specimens were sent for further laboratory tests to Harare, with results expected in 24 hours.

Nineteen of his countrymen, who were travelling with him on a Munorurama bus, and not a Munhenzva bus as reported earlier, were screened and escorted to the next border because they did not present any signs of illness.

The 19 were escorted by Government officials in several vehicles to ensure they did not have contact with anyone until they cross the border into Malawi.

The detained man was in transit from Northern Cape in South Africa to Malawi via Zimbabwe.

The standard precautions came into effect as the health team swung into action and he was taken in for tests after 5pm.

District medical officer, Dr Lenos Samhere said they had conducted all the necessary tests and sent specimens for further tests.

“Currently, the man has been isolated and in a stable condition.

“We have since collected his specimens for testing,” he said.

He encouraged people to practice standard measures, among them personal hygiene and avoiding crowded places to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.

Dr Samhere said Mimosa Mine was now working with the Government to upgrade the port health facilities at Beitbridge Border Post where screening of all travellers was mandatory.

“There is construction work that is going on within the border and this will come with all the facilities we would need for a port health centre.

Mimosa Mine was helping upgrade the current port health facilities, which were expected to be complete by the end of yesterday.

The Beitbridge team had asked for additional staff.

Dr Samhere said they were in need of 29 environmental health technicians, 20 nurses, 12 nurse aides, 12 general hands and one laboratory technician but were operating with six environmental health technicians, four port health technicians, and several environmental health                                  students.

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