Govt supporting Zim students in China

Tendai Mugabe and George Maponga
Zimbabwean students in China are safe from coronavirus and the Government is supporting them financially to ensure their safety, President Mnangagwa has said. China has also extended a helping hand towards the safety of the students.

Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at Matizha Business Centre in Gutu yesterday, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe and most African countries were safe from the contagious virus, which originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Government is implementing several measures to control the virus, including mass training of staff at the country’s ports of entry.

President Mnangagwa said cleanliness was the best solution to avoid coronavirus.

His remarks come barely a day after neighbouring South Africa recorded its first confirmed case of coronavirus.

“I want to come to the issue of coronavirus. This is a disease that started in China,” said President Mnangagwa.

“We have a significant number of our children in China but we have our ambassador there whom we talk to on a daily basis. We are satisfied that they (students) are all safe.”

He said the students requested that they be provided with money. Some of the students were sent by the Government while others were sent privately by their parents.

The President said it was better to send them money for their upkeep there instead of them travelling back home.

“We don’t have any of our children there who have been affected by coronavirus. We want to thank the Government of China which is assisting us to look after our children,” said President Mnangagwa.

He told the gathering that Zimbabwe does not have any confirmed cases, with the two suspected cases having tested negative after examinations by doctors.

The suspects have since been released.

President Mnangagwa told his party’s supporters that health experts encouraged cleanliness all time, with citizens encouraged to wash their hands to avoid the virus.

Zimbabwe has taken measures to avoid the virus, with a number of people having been trained already.

All visitors passing through the country’s borders and airports are being screened while suspects are immediately whisked to Harare’s Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital for further examination.