Mat North records another Covid -19 case

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

MATABELELAND North province has recorded a new Covid-19 confirmed case after a Hwange man tested positive, bringing to two the number of cases in the province.

The province recorded the country’s first case in March and the patient, a 38-year old Victoria Falls resident, has since recovered after spending 34 days in isolation at home.

Acting Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Munekayi Padingani said health officials had started contact tracing after the Hwange man, who is in his 40s tested positive.

He could not give finer details about the patient, but said he is asymptomatic and has been told to self-isolate at home.

 “The patient is a local who visited Lukosi Hospital early this month and presented with flue like symptoms and cough while also having difficulties in breathing.

Specimen was collected on 13 May and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results came yesterday showing he is positive,” said Dr Padingani.

He said the patient is married and lives with his wife.

“He is now better and asymptomatic. He stays with his wife only and we have told him to self-isolate at home. The team has gone to investigate the premises to see if he can be isolated at his home while we are also doing contact tracing,” said Dr Padingani.

Meanwhile, the province is waiting for specimen results for more than 200 returnees who are accommodated at four quarantine centres identified by the provincial Covid-19 taskforce to receive Zimbabweans returning from other countries.

 More than 500 returnees have been quarantined at Mosi-oa-Tunya High School and Phezulu Lodge in Victoria Falls as well as Lupane State University and Mabhikwa High School in Lupane.

About 60 have been discharged after testing negative.

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