Pretoria – A Malawian national travelling from South Africa was quarantined by health officials at Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge border post after he exhibited signs of a fever and a history of coughing while transiting to his home country, The Herald newspaper reported.
The paper said the man was tested for the coronavirus (Covid-19) and results were awaited. The Malawian, who was coming from South Africa’s Northern Cape province and was in a bus heading home through Zimbabwe, had a high temperature. His 19 compatriots on the same bus were escorted past Zimbabwe to the next border.
Beitbridge district medical officer Dr Lenos Samhere told The Herald that specimens from the men were collected and sent to the capital Harare for tests.
Meanwhile, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched Zimbabwe's $26 million preparedness and response plan for Covid-19, aimed at building an integrated and coordinated strategy on preventing the spread of the virus and mitigating its effects.
Mnangagwa said Covid-19 was almost certain to reach Zimbabwe, hence the need for a detailed combat plan.
“It is no longer a matter of if or but when our country will have these cases,” The Herald quoted the president as saying.
African News Agency/ANA
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