We ready for Covid-19 – Health Ministry

Harare (New Ziana) – The Ministry of Health and Child Care reiterated on Sunday the country had heightened its alertness for Covid-19, although a case of the disease had yet to be recorded in Zimbabwe.

In a statement, the Ministry assured Zimbabweans of its full preparedness to deal with Covid-19, which has wracked havoc around the world since its outbreak in China in December last year.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care would like to reassure the nation that the country remains on high alert to Covid-19. Implementation of the national preparedness and response plan continues with a focus on surveillance to prevent importation of cases with countries that have reported confirmed cases of Covid-19,” it said.

Public panic in the country about Covid-19 has grown in recent days after neighbouring South Africa reported its first cases of the disease two weeks ago, with the number of infected people in that country rising to 51 by Sunday.

Because of heavy cross-border movement of people between the two countries, fears have grown that the disease would soon cross over into Zimbabwe.

“The immediate risk of being exposed to the virus that causes Covid-19 disease is relatively low for most Zimbabweans in the country as there are currently no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.

Travellers returning from affected regional and international locations where there are confirmed cases of Covid-19 are at an elevated risk of exposure. Screening and follow up of travellers at all our ports of entry therefore continues in earnest,” the Ministry said.

The country has set up three Covid-19 monitoring and treatment centres in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, all equipped with state of the art medical facilities.

China, where the disease has killed over 3 000 people and infected more than 100 000 others, has helped Zimbabwe prepare its medical facilities to handle Covid-19 cases, in the event of an outbreak.

Around the world, the disease has wracked unprecedented havoc on stock markets, travel and food industries, and socially with schools and all sporting and entertainment events suspended.

A growing number of nations are also closing their borders, the latest the US, as they race to contain Covid-19 which has no cure yet.

Lessons learnt from China show that people at highest risk of getting very sick or dying from the disease include older people or those with pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or lung disease.

New Ziana