MUTARE – The acting Manicaland province medical director, Munyaradzi Mukuzunga, has dismissed as false reports that Mutare has registered its first positive case of the deadly COVID-19 virus.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care on its COVID-19 update last week said it did 133 tests and out of these, one had tested positive amid reports the patient had a history of travelling to the United Kingdom.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Agness Mahomva, said: “The person is among the 30 people who recently returned from the UK and she is on mandatory quarantine in Harare.
“The person has a Mutare address.”
However, Mukuzunga said: “There is no COVID-19 patient in Mutare and Manicaland province.
“We know there is a returning resident who was in quarantine in Harare who tested positive and was moved to an isolation facility there.
“This particular person is from Mutare but left Mutare more than four months ago,” he added.
There were fears in Mutare on Sunday after social media reports claimed the patient, believed to be a woman, was supposed to be escorted by the Rapid Response Team back to her home in Mutare yesterday (Sunday) for self isolation.
Mukuzunga, however, allayed the fears.
“There is no COVID-19 patient who is supposed to be moved for self isolation at home in Mutare,” he said.
Mahomva said her ministry was on high alert during this COVID-19 pandemic.
“We would like to remind the nation that the most effective way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to practice good personal hygiene. People should also exercise social distancing,” Mahomva said.
To date Zimbabwe has 25 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including two recoveries and three deaths.
