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Paidamoyo Chipunza

Senior Health Reporter

Zimbabwe’s first Covid-19 case, who is now fully recovered, reckons that he managed to avoid infecting anyone else by following good advice, isolating himself totally from the word go, and cooperating fully with the medical authorities in tracing every potential contact, so they could be tested and also be sure they were negative for the virus.

While no one chooses to be infected, he believes that “those who catch it have a responsibility to assist health workers with contact tracing and observe strict preventive measures such as self-isolating and good personal hygiene to effectively combat further spread of the disease”.

He became infected on a business trip to Britain, selling Zimbabwe as a tourist destination, but only showed symptoms some days after his return.

But, from the moment of his return home from a hot-spot country he was determined that if he had been hit with the virus, no one was going to catch Covid-19 from him. Neither his household, his neighbours, his colleagues, nor anyone else in Victoria Falls or Zimbabwe. And he managed that. He fell sick and he recovered, but he has the additional satisfaction that no one else fell ill because of him.

From the start he isolated himself. “I was aware of the need to self-isolate. Therefore, even when travelling home I kept socially distanced. I wiped down anything I touched, I didn’t shake hands with colleagues at the airport. I made sure I kept my hands clean. And hygiene was key.

“Once home and isolated, Covid-19 was contained. Big thanks to my workmates for advising me on precautions. Today we can get advice from lots of places. Back then, as citizens we were somewhat immature in understanding how to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” said Case 1, who declined to be identified for fear of stigmatisation.

He said while self-isolating was not easy considering that life went on normally for everyone else outside his property, he soldiered on.

When he did fall ill, he was tested and came out positive. “The doctor calmed me down and we were very thorough in tracing others. I am glad to report that those others were all negative. No one catches coronavirus deliberately, but must trace all contacts as a precaution to keep them safe,” he said.

He said after completing contact tracing, he adhered to strict self-isolation rules recommended initially by his employer upon return. In addition, Case 1 said he upheld basic hygienic practices — an intervention he believed assisted in prevention of further spread of the virus within his family.

Case 1 said he believed this also contributed to less chances of him spreading the virus to others in Victoria Falls, where he lives, and in Zimbabwe in general.

“At that time there was no lockdown so life outside of my property was still happening. Gatherings, social events, sports and so forth that I was unable to attend. This was even before I tested positive. I am grateful I didn’t attend as now we can prove that isolation worked as no other cases were reported,” he said.

He said Covid-19 was beatable and those who have it have a responsibility to protect those around them.

Case 1 is the only known case that has no further contacts in the country and is the only case to be confirmed in Victoria Falls up to now.