Zim quarantines returning residents

Harare (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe has begun mandatory isolation of citizens returning to the country from Covid-19 hit countries at designated places as a precautionary measure against the spread of the disease.

Previously, returning citizens were only encouraged to self isolate at their homes, but this proved insufficient as one victim of the Covid-19 reportedly visited several places including the Office of the President and Cabinet despite having been advised to self isolate.

The patient, who later succumbed to Covid-19, had arrived back home from New York, one of the hardest hit places in the world.

President Mnangagwa said the move would help clamp down on the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

“Currently we have curtailed the movement of people, all our neighbours have closed borders except that our citizens in these countries we allow them to come in and when they come in all of them, we have so many now in isolation centres. Those who have come from outside they have to spend 21 days isolated, after that they are released to go home,” he said.

“But we do not accept any foreign people into the country, if airlines bring people here we have publicised our measure that if they come here you get detained and after 21 days you can now be released. They are doing the same to our people if you go to neighbouring countries these are the rules that are there.”

Reports indicate that over 250 people are currently detained in isolation centres.

Earlier, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Nick Mangwana said government had compulsorily quarantined returnees from Botswana and the United States in designated places.

“Government takes the risk of potential imported transmission seriously. We have seven returnees who arrived from the US including six cruise ship workers who are in compulsory quarantine at a lodge in Harare,” he wrote on twitter.

“Those from Botswana are at Plumtree High and ZIPAM will be used for new arrivals.”

Asked why people returning from Covid-19 hotspots such as the United States were being allowed back into the country, Mangwana said: “We cannot stop Zimbabweans from coming home. Our constitution does not permit. But we can protect others by compulsorily quarantining them for 21 days before allowing them to mingle.”

“We are not blocking any Zimbabwean from coming home but they will be compulsorily quarantined in institutions for 21 days. Foreigners are not allowed to come,” he said.

The government has declared the pandemic, which has killed over 70 000 people globally, a national disaster.
New Ziana