311 pupils, teachers test Covid-19 positive in Mberengwa District

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
A TOTAL of 311 pupils and teachers from six schools in Mberengwa District have tested Covid-19 positive following massive testing at the schools by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

No Covid-19-related fatalities have been recorded at the schools and most of the pupils that tested positive are asymptomatic.

The district conducted mass testing at the schools affected by the outbreak, a development that contributed to the high number of positive cases reported in the past three days.

A total of 2 507 PCR tests were done of which 311 were positive.

The mass testing has been welcomed by the community as it has resulted in Government reacting swiftly and deploying more health workers to prevent the spread of the virus.

According to the Mberengwa district schools Covid-19 situation update from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, movement in and out of some schools has been restricted.

“Movement in and out of Masase and Chegato schools has been restricted while testing and monitoring of contacts is ongoing. Efforts are also being made to identify all contacts from communities and isolate them,” reads the update from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Mberengwa District Development Coordinator (DCC), Mr Ndeya Nyede said the situation is under control.

He said the District taskforce, Provincial command centre and rapid response teams had taken measures to contain the pandemic.

“The situation in Mberengwa schools is under control. We have more frontline health workers deployed for purposes of testing and vaccination. In the meantime, there is temporary restriction of movements at Masase High School while contacts are being followed up and tested. Movement of additional nurses from other less burdened clinics to affected areas as well as provision of medicines and sundries is ongoing,” said Mr Nyede.

Chief Ngungumbane commended the Ministry of Health and Child Care for conducting the Covid-19 mass testing which he said confirmed the level of infection in the district. Now we know our position as a district and what should be done the curb the spread of the pandemic,” he said.

Chief Ngungumbane said he was worried about nightclubs and bars which are illegally operating thereby violating the Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

“We are facing a serious challenge with these bars and nightclubs which are operating yet Government has said they remain closed. These could be superspreaders of the pandemic,” he said.

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