By Habakkuk Trust
The Covid-19 situation in Insiza district is fast developing into a crisis as the number of cases soars. The rise in the number of local cases was allegedly instigated by an imported case involving a border jumper.
The border jumper who has been on the run reportedly presented himself to a local Rapid Response Team and was sent back home after exhibiting signs of being unwell.
He is alleged to have roamed around Indutshwa Settlement where he visited a traditional healer who has since tested positive for Covid-19 together with his family. The R.R.T is currently on the ground conducting contact tracing in order to ascertain the severity of the potential spread of Covid-19 in the settlement.
The Covid-19 situation in the district has also been exacerbated by quarantine escapees. Earlier this week, two people reportedly escaped from Pangani training centre quarantine facility raising fears of the increased local spread of Covid-19.
In the meantime, the state broadcaster, ZBC last night reported that a total of 8 inmates escaped from Esikhoveni Training Centre, a quarantine facility in Umzingwane District.
Reports coming in from Matobo ward 1 indicate that there is an influx of cross border couriers popularly known as omayilayitsha. Omaliyatsha are coming into the country through undesignated entry points without undergoing the necessary Covid-19 protocols for returnees. “As we speak there is a 0malayitsha who came through yesterday and he is very sick”, said a Habakkuk Trust Comunity Advocacy Action Team member in Kafusi village, Matobo District.
The increase in the number of quarantine escapees and border jumpers in Matabeleland South Province is likely to fuel the local spread of Covid-19.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care Covid-19 update, MatatabSouth has the highest active cases in the country’s rural Provinces currently at 129. The province comes third in the Covid-19 national charts following Harare and Bulawayo respectively.