MASVINGO – Masvingo`s first confirmed Covid-19 case, a woman who travelled from Botswana and was at Masvingo Teachers College was released for self isolation at her home in Rujeko high density suburb a senior health official has confirmed.
The development comes after reliable sources told The Mirror that Masvingo City Council refused to admit the patient at Rujeko Clinic which is the only centre in the city due to shortage of protective clothing for health officials.
Efforts to get an official comment from Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr Amadeus Shamhu were fruitless as his mobile phone was not answered throughout the day
There are also fears that the woman who travelled from Botswana using public transport and stayed with other returnees at Masvingo Teachers College for more than a week might have transmitted the disease to other people.
The health official said the patient who travelled from Botswana and was at Masvingo Teachers College quarantine centre was released to her Rujeko home yesterday.
He said she was first tested on Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) kits upon her arrival and a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test was done after 8 days according to the standard procedure that is when she tested positive yesterday.
“Our first case in Masvingo is a woman who travelled from Botswana and was at Masvingo Teachers` College like what is happening to residents who are coming back to the country during this pandemic.
Results which confirmed her condition were released yesterday but she was released to her Rujeko home for self isolation.
It is now the onus of health officials from Masvingo City Council to make regular visits and assess her condition at her residents” said the health official.
Sources from Masvingo City Council said council official refused to admit the patient at Rujeko Isolation Centre because medical officials at the facility do not have enough protective clothing to handle such cases.
The development exposes the province`s preparedness towards the fight against Covid-19-
Source: Masvingo Mirror
