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Herald Reporter
Government has identified private establishments that citizens returning from abroad can use as quarantine centres at their own expense, an official has said.
The development follows a decision by Cabinet three weeks ago approving the use of private facilities by returning residents who could afford them as part of measures to contain the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
Cabinet acceded to a request by some returning residents who did not want to be accommodated in public facilities that were provided by the Government saying they should be allowed to use private accommodation at their expense.
Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Simon Masanga said Government had identified some private facilities after the requisite inspection was conducted by relevant arms such as the Ministry of Health and Child Care and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to ascertain the suitability of the facilities in meeting health and security requirements.
All returning residents are subjected to mandatory 21-day quarantine period.
Some of the identified centres include Bronte Hotel, which can accommodate 100 people, York Lodge (16 people), Malcolm Lodge (nine people) Argyle Apartments (22) and Baines Bed and Breakfast.
“More people are coming to register their lodges for inspection. We have also been telling the returning residence once they arrive about these options,” said Mr Masanga.
Turning to reports of some people escaping from quarantine centres, Mr Masanga said security had been enhanced.
He said those that had escaped were ex-convicts, border jumpers, those who have been away from home for too long and local people quarantined in their communities, among others.
At least 19 people escaped from quarantine at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Hotel in Beitbridge this week, with five others absconding mandatory quarantine at Rupangwana Isolation Centre in Chiredzi, in the last seven days.
A combined 27 returnees have now escaped from the NSSA Hotel quarantine centre since it started operating after the first group of eight absconded in the first week.
Mr Masanga said Government was satisfied that all the centres were habitable and it was providing decent food that included three meals a day.
“We recently met as a sub-committee on security comprising officials from Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and Ministry of Health and Child Care among other departments to enhance security at these centres,” said Mr Masanga.
“The conditions in the centres are quite habitable and assessment of the conditions is not done by my ministry alone, but other ministries like that of Health. As a Government, we have actually exceeded expectations. One thing that people ought to know is that our officers and the police are equally staying at these places as well and that demonstrates that they are habitable. In fact, we have had some quarantine centres where there were no security details, but no one escaped.”
Some of those that escaped were part of the people arrested for facilitating the smuggling of groceries and an assortment of goods along the Limpopo River.
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