Paul Nyathi

Two highly placed Zimbabwean health officials have come up with surprise new conspiracy on the spread of the dieses claiming that it could be sexually transmitted or even by open defecation.

Speaking to State Media, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya, the Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer said:

“Coronavirus is a very infectious virus and invades any mucus membranes in the body and these are found in the eyes, mouth, nose and by extension any membrane in the body.

“This means members of the public must be careful, the virus can invade the vagina, anal passage and it is not clear whether indeed Covid-19 is sexually transmitted. However, for now, I will not be keen to let anyone touch my privates with their dirty hands as this can lead to transmission. This virus is new to many of us, it keeps changing and still under lots of study hence we cannot say it can be transmitted through sex. The main routes that we know now are the mouth, nose, eyes and it has been found in faeces.”

In an interview, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro warned that open defecation could lead to an upsurge in Covid-19 cases.

“Open defecation is not encouraged even in towns facing water shortage challenges like here in Bulawayo. Let us use the bucket system as opposed to open spaces as this may increase our risk to Covid-19 which we are battling to contain as a country. The coronavirus is found in any body fluid such as saliva, tears, vaginal secretion, semen, blood and faeces. Any secretion from the body carries the virus as it is a metabolic virus so it’s important that we are careful in how we dispose of such,” said Dr Mangwiro.