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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
FOR the first time in Zimbabwe, a Covid-19 positive woman has given birth.

The baby was delivered through caesarean section at Gweru Provincial Hospital yesterday.

The woman was quarantined at Mkoba Teachers’ College after returning from Botswana recently.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Gibson Mhlanga, said the operation went on well with full adherence to standard Infection Control and Prevention (IPC) guidelines.

The woman delivered between 11AM and 12PM.

Dr Mhlanga, in a statement last night, said that both mother and baby are stable and admitted in isolation at the hospital.

“We congratulate the mother, the father and the family. We would like to thank health workers at all levels in MoHCC departments and partners who contributed in various ways towards this good outcome,” he said.

“We would like to specifically thank and applaud the multi-disciplinary team at Gweru Provincial Hospital, the leadership of the hospital and the provincial leadership for exemplary teamwork and a job well-done.”

He said the lessons from this case will be used to model responses and management of similar cases in future.

Recently, two women quarantined in Plumtree gave birth but both were Covid-19 negative.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana tweeted the good news yesterday: “Zimbabwe’s medical team has successfully conducted the delivery for a pregnant mother who tested positive for #Covid19Zim. The baby was delivered through a caesarean section at Gweru Provincial Hospital today. Mother and baby are stable at an Isolation Centre at the hospital.”

Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima said three other Covid-19 cases had been released and taken to their homes in Gokwe for self-quarantine.