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George Maponga in Masvingo

The anticipated opening of the provincial Covid-19 treatment centre at Gaths Mine Hospital is set for the next two weeks as Masvingo battles a surge in cases of the novel virus.

Government designated the idle Gaths Mine Hospital in Mashava as the provincial Covid-19 isolation centre, paving the way for upgrade works to be effected.

The health facility had largely been underutilised following the cessation of operations at Mashava Mine more than 10 years ago. Gaths Mine has 90 beds and the Covid-19 taskforce has been spearheading its upgrading to make sure its ready to admit Covid-19 patients.

 Masvingo is presently relying on the 10-bed Rujeko Isolation centre owned by Masvingo City council as the provincial isolation facility. Provincial Medical Director Dr Amadeous Shamu said Gaths Mine would admit its first patients within the next two weeks. He said upgrading work has since been completed.

“If all goes well, we will be admitting our first Covid-19 patients at Gaths Mine Hospital within the next two weeks because everything is now in place with all the necessary upgrading works completed,” said Dr Shamu.

“The only missing link now is to make sure there is health staff at the institution, its now a question of logistics that remains and we are now working on moving staff there so that the facility starts working and admitting patients.”

Dr Shamu said currently serious cases of Covid-19 requiring hospitalisation were being done at Rujeko. He pointed out what was saving the situation is that not only Covid-19 cares required hospitalisation as mild cases could be treated at home.

The planned opening of Gaths Mine isolation facility also comes as Covid-19 cases continued to soar in Masvingo especially in the Lowveld town of Chiredzi.

This has prompted the Covid-19 taskforce to up vaccination and awareness campaigns in those areas.

Taskforce spokesperson Mr Rodgers Irimai appealed to people in hotspot areas to get jabbed saying more vaccines were on the way. Masvingo two weeks ago took delivery of 15 000 doses of vaccine but they fell short of demand.

“We continue to urge our people to get vaccinated and more vaccines are on their way. This is the only way we can contain this disease,” he said.

According to Mr Irimai most of the vaccines would be prioritised to hotspot areas such as Chiredzi. Chiredzi on Tuesday recorded 117 positive cases of Covid-19 the highest in the province with the district topping in number of infections for the third week running. Masvingo district which covers the provincial capital had 54 cases following 1 034 tests conducted across the province on the same day.

Currently the province has 2 109 active cases of Covid-19 and Alvord Training Centre near Mushagashe has been designated as the provincial quarantine centre for all returnees into the province facing mandatory quarantining.