Zimbabwe's confirmed COVID-19 cases rise to 3

Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-21 17:57:06|Editor: xuxin
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HARARE, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's capital Harare has confirmed two new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total reported cases in Zimbabwe to three.

Harare mayor Herbert Gomba confirmed the latest developments on Twitter Saturday morning.

"New two cases confirmed in Harare. Let's work to fight this Coronavirus," he said.

Gomba said the city had put in place measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and had recruited 60 environmental health officers on contract and made 10 million Zimbabwe dollars ready for use.

He also said the city has testing kits, protective clothes and staff would work long hours to deal with the pandemic.

Zimbabwe on Friday night reported its first confirmed case of Coronavirus after a Caucasian male from Victoria Falls, who had traveled to the United Kingdom, tested positive.

Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo told national television that the 38-year-old male, who had traveled to Britain on March, had tested positive.

"This is the first case of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe. The patient is a 38-year-old Caucasian male resident of Victoria Falls who had traveled to Manchester, United Kingdom on the 7th of March 2020 and returned to his home in Victoria Falls on the 15th of March 2020 via South Africa," said Moyo.

He said the man had put himself on self-quarantine after arrival but on realizing that he was not feeling too well he contacted his general practitioner by telephone advising him that he had a persistent cough and sneezing.

The general practitioner contacted the COVID-19 assessment team who assessed him and recommended that he continued self isolation at home.

Health authorities are also following up on contacts of a German traveler, who was in Zimbabwe between March 4 and 12, and was diagnosed of COVID-19 in Namibia.

Another suspect who was traveling from Northern Cape in South Africa enroute to Malawi aboard a bus was also tested on Wednesday upon arrival at Beitbridge Border Post and an update of the test results will be provided later.

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