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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A returnee from India who was on Monday found using a fake Covid-19 clearance certificate has tested negative for the virus, prompting port health authorities in Beitbridge to clear 48 of the 50 people who had been placed on mandatory quarantine after travelling on the same bus with the returnee.

The group of travellers will now complete the quarantine process at their homes after being allowed to travel to their final destinations.
After discovering the fake Covid-19 health clearance certificate used by the returnee to travel from Johannesburg, port health authorities ordered all passengers aboard the bus to go into mandatory quarantine in a Government approved facility pending the conducting of tests.

Beitbridge district medical officer Dr Lenos Samhere yesterday said all 50 on the bus were quarantined and tested, including the woman who came from India who has tested negative.

“The two people who had come from South Africa who tested positive for the ordinary Covid-19 variant have been put into isolation for further management. “We have cleared the rest of the passengers to go and self-quarantine at their final destinations”.

He said the woman found with the fake Covid-19 certificate had a history of travelling to India. Dr Samhere said the matter was picked by the Rapid Response Team during a routine Covid-19 screening process at the Beitbridge Border Post.