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ANOTHER 163 returnees and deportees from Botswana were released from the Bulawayo Polytechnic and United College of Education (UCE) isolation centres after completing the 21-day Covid-19 mandatory quarantine period while the Government will soon open another quarantine centre in Matabeleland South Province.
The discharged group is part of the 456 who were recently brought from an isolation centre at Plumtree High School, to provide them with better living conditions and ease crowding.
They were released from the two quarantine centres on Wednesday after testing negative for Covid-19 and transported to their destinations in Zupco buses through assistance from the Government.
Bulawayo provincial information officer Mrs Miriam Chigonde, who chairs the provincial taskforce sub-committee for information and publicity, said a total of 70 female returnees and deportees were released from UCE while 93 males were released from Bulawayo Polytechnic.
The Government has said it will soon open another quarantine and isolation centre at Mzingwane High School in Matabeleland South to accommodate more Zimbabweans returning from South Africa.
The National Social Security Hotel is being used for that purpose in Beitbridge.
The place can only accommodate 280 people on quarantine and another 70 on isolation.
The first batch of those coming from South Africa are funding their own repatriation with the Zimbabwe Embassy providing logistical services while the Government is also working on a package to assist those without resources.
The Provincial Covid-19 Task Force settled for another centre to accommodate the ever-increasing numbers of Zimbabweans who started arriving in the country officially on Thursday morning.
According to the Matabeleland South provincial social services officer, Mr Criswell Nyakudya, 150 people will be quarantined in Beitbridge, being the standard figure for an ideal quarantine centre.
He said the provincial taskforce is already seized with the logistics of moving people to the Esigodini quarantine centre.
He said 477 Zimbabweans have been received from South Africa and most of them were being moved to various provincial centres countrywide.
Mr Nyakudya said Government had allocated enough resources to feed those already in quarantine centres and those arriving from Botswana and South Africa.
He said on Thursday five buses were dispatched to Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru with people who will be quarantined at various centres.
“The first bus went to Harare straight, the second went to Harare with people from Bulawayo Metro, Matabeleland North and Gweru while the third bus went to Manicaland via Masvingo and another bus went to Mashonaland West and Harare en-route to Manicaland.
“We are loading more buses going to Mashonaland East and we have notified the provincial social welfare officers to make arrangements to receive the returnees. We are also catering for food for those travelling, who will be fed at Chicken Inn outlets until they get to the quarantine centres,” said Mr Nyakudya.
Meanwhile, Midlands province yesterday received 75 returnees and deportees from South Africa and Botswana. Fifty were from Botswana while 25 came from SA.
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima said all the returnees would undergo the mandatory testing procedure.
Meanwhile, Minister Mavima yesterday received donations for the quarantine centre from different companies. Blue Ribbon Foods donated 4,5 tonnes of mealie-meal which is part of the 30-tonnes it handed over to President Mnangagwa.
Minister Mavima also received 2 000 litres of petrol, 2 000 litres of diesel, 200 litres of hand sanitiser and 500 masks from Midlands Metals.
The province also received a portable ventilator from Dr Thomas Ndebele.
Online Reporter