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Harare Bureau
Government has dismissed rumours that it has withdrawn its officials from West Africa over the Ebola outbreak that has killed over 1,000 people saying they were only witnessing normal routine movement of people from the affected areas.
Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji said government continues to conduct preliminary screening and information for follow up monitoring purposes from such travellers both local and foreigners is collected.
He said information is also given to the travellers as to what they should do if they develop symptoms.
“We have not yet picked up any case that may be deemed suspicious because of symptoms. The information collected is for monitoring should symptoms elicit when they are in their destinations,” said Dr Gwinji.
He said Zimbabwe’s risk to Ebola is still low.
“Zimbabwe does not have Ebola cases at the moment and we still classify our risk as low. Preparedness however continues to be strengthened,” he said.
Unconfirmed reports however indicated that a Zimbabwean doctor who was seconded to Liberia to assist in combating the outbreak has returned.
Jehovah’s Witness convention overseer Effort Mugabe also assured Zimbabweans that no delegates from West Africa were coming for their international convention scheduled to take place between August 22 and 24 this year.
About 40,000 delegates from as far as the United States, Europe, Latin America and some African countries are expected to attend the conference.
Mugabe said only delegates from Zambia and Kenya were expected from the African region.
“We are pinning our hope on government’s assurance that it is on top of the situation but outside that we are not expecting any delegates from West Africa,” he said.
“We are happy that visitors from all over the world will converge in Zimbabwe. This is the first convention in Africa and we expect to host between 35,000 to 40,000 delegates, with America sending 2,000 delegates. I can also confirm that everything is in place now for the convention,” he said.
Ebola is highly infections and only transmits through fluids. Its initial symptoms include fever, colds, and weakness before complicating to bleeding from all possible openings.
So far, it is affecting in Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria.
Online Reporter