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Victor Maphosa Herald Reporter
HEALTH officials at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport yesterday rigorously screened and tested for Covid-19, 28 Zimbabweans and two South Sudanese who arrived in the country from various European destinations aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

Zimbabwe has recorded 17 positive cases and three deaths.

Cumulatively the number of people tested stands at 604 with the latest cases  all from Bulawayo.

The returnees were later escorted to the Zimbabwe Institute of Public Administration and Management (Zipam) for a 21-day-quarantine.

The thorough screening and testing are part of measures which the Government put in place to ensure the prevention and containment of Covid-19.

Harare City health director Dr Prosper Chonzi said some of the returnees who exhibited Covid-19 symptoms were not allowed to proceed to Zipam and were now under healthcare at Wilkins Hospital awaiting test results.

“As you know, we cannot stop Zimbabweans living abroad from coming home. But upon their arrival at ports of entry, they will go through a thorough check and screening,” he said.

“As for these that arrived today (yesterday) none of them will be allowed to go home. They are heading for Zipam where they will be quarantined for 21 days. But before they were referred to Zipam, they passed through Wilkins Hospital for testing.

“If those who have not been allowed to proceed and are waiting for their results test negative, they will subsequently proceed to Zipam or remain at Wilkins to receive medical care if they test positive.”

Dr Chonzi said there were people who are already at Zipam who had tested negative and needed to be protected from newcomers.

“There are people quarantined at Zipam who have tested negative to Covid-19. They need to be protected.  We do not know the status of those who are coming in. Some have letters that they were screened before but we are not taking any chances, so we will not allow anyone particularly with Covid-19 symptoms to proceed to Zipam.”

Recently, the Government quarantined 287 people including 15 foreign nationals at various places countrywide as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19.

The 287 included seven locals who returned from the United States, 265 who were in Botswana and 15 Ethiopians.

Apart from quarantining those coming from abroad, Government has also moved hundreds of homeless people in Harare to Mt Hampden, Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre and Jamaica Inn as part of measures to curb the spread of  Covid-19.

There are plans to open more such centres across the country to cater for the homeless people.