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Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
Acting provincial development coordinator for Mashonaland Central Mr Cosmas Chiringa has praised the Muzarabani Covid-19 rapid response team for the way it handled a suspected case, which later turned out to be negative.
The case involved a cross border trader who illegally crossed into Mozambique and died on her way back.
The woman, who was in the company of her friends and relatives, had crossed into Mozambique looking for fish, but fell ill and died in Muzarabani.
She was buried according to the Public Health Act and samples taken before her burial showed that she was negative of Covid-19.
Mr Chiringa urged people to stop crossing into Mozambique to curb the spread of the disease and warned those who resisted that they will be arrested.
He castigated people who were peddling misleading information through social media and urged citizens to seek information from relevant authorities to establish facts.
Muzarabani district medical officer Dr Kelvin Mupunga said they received the woman’s body on April 28.
She had travelled to Mozambique around March 10 and used an illegal entry point.
“She fell ill on April 20 and exhibited symptoms consistent with Covid-19,” said Dr Mupunga.
“Her companions decided to bring her back after failing to seek proper medical attention.”
Dr Mupunga said the woman travelled in a scorch cart and died towards Kakonono area in Chiwenga Village.
The body was then carried by a commuter omnibus to Chadereka Clinic.
The nurses and the environmental health technician suspected Covid-19 and took precautionary measures, including sterilising the body.
“The body was taken to St Albert’s Hospital,” said Dr Mupunga. “Upon consultation with the provincial Covid-19 Taskforce, it was decided that the woman’s body be buried according to the Public Health Act before collecting samples for testing.”
The tests were negative.
The people who were in contact with the body, including police officers, were detained at St Albert’s Hospital and were only released after testing negative to Covid-19.
“The commuter omnibus driver initially escaped, but came back on Tuesday and caused a scene at Chawarura Clinic threatening to beat up nurses for constantly following up on him,” said Dr Mupunga.
“We managed to test him and he is negative. He is awaiting trial for escaping quarantine and threatening nurses.”
Dr Mupunga said the scotch cart that was used to transport the woman from Mozambique belonged to a village head in that country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade communicated with their counterparts.
He said one of the police officers who handled the body was evicted from a house he was renting in Muzarabani and his colleagues were refusing to work with him.
Online Reporter