Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga / Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Reporters
A total of 27 people including children and members of staff at Mary Ward Children’s home in Kwekwe have tested positive for Covid-19.
The development comes in the wake of a surge in positive cases in the mining town with more cases recorded within schools.
Mary Ward, Ruvimbo and Chiedza primary schools are some of the schools that have recorded positive cases among pupils.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Reginald Mhene said those who tested positive at the children’s home have been placed in isolation at the facility.
“The children’s home houses 66 children and when tests were conducted at the facility, 27 people including staffers and children, tested positive. Modalities have been put in place that whoever gets ill will be taken to hospital,” said Dr Mhene.
Giving an update during a Kwekwe full council meeting recently, Assistant Director Nursing Services, Sister Patricia Shumba said they decided to carry out the tests as part of the contact tracing.
“We have some people who tested positive and they passed the virus to their families. We then conducted contact tracing which then led us to schools where we got those figures of children testing positive,” she said.
Sister Shumba said those who tested positive have since been placed in isolation and are being monitored.
Kwekwe Mayor, Councillor Angeline Kasipo said the increase in new cases was worrying.
“By yesterday (Thursday) we had a total of 39 active positive cases up from 11 when the town was placed under lockdown. We continue urging our residents to adhere to WHO Covid-19 regulations, sanitize, wear masks and maintain social distancing among other measures,” she said.
Cllr Kasipo said the refurbishment of Garandichauya Beerhall into an infectious disease hospital was almost complete.
“We are almost done with it, most of the major works have been done, we are now left with furnishing and purchasing linen,” she said.
Cllr Kasipo said the localised lockdown was likely to be extended if the cases continue to increase.
Kwekwe was placed under lockdown following the detection of the Indian variant of the coronavirus in the town which also claimed the life of Robson Kadenhe, a popular businessman in the mining town.
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