Victoria Falls coronavirus fears dismissed

Harare (New Ziana) -The tourist from the United Kingdom who was recently in the resort town of Victoria Falls did not test positive to coronavirus, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said on Wednesday.

The comments follow recent reports that a British tourist who visited Victoria Falls early this month tested positive to Covid-19 when she returned to her home country.

But MoHCC deputy director for epidemiology and diseases control Dr Isaac Phiri said the reports of positive coronavirus tests were false.

“The visitor to Victoria Falls was never tested positive at all but a friend of this person who is Australian, whom she got into contact with is the one that tested positive to Covid-19. But when the information was relayed to the hotel (where she stayed while in Zimbabwe), it seemed as if the person who stayed at the hotel was the one who was positive,” he said.

Dr Phiri said his Ministry had since recalled a rapid response coronavirus team which it had deployed to Victoria Falls after establishing that the town was not under threat from the virus.

The medical team had been deployed to follow up and screen people who had been in contact with the British tourist, who had reportedly tested positive to the virus, a few days after visiting the resort town of Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe has not yet recorded any positive case of coronavirus.

To reduce the likelihood of infections and the spread of coronavirus, the government has put all hospitals on high alert while kits and other accessories for screening, handling, testing and treating continue to be availed.

More isolation and treatment centres are being identified, designated and equipped appropriately.

Neighbouring South Africa and Zambia have since recorded positive cases of coronavirus, resulting in Zimbabweans panicking.

New Ziana