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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
The Kwekwe District Taskforce on Covid-19 is working with a number of Government departments to track down border jumpers and returning residents who would have escaped from quarantine centres with a view of testing them for the deadly coronavirus.

This comes amid reports that some returnees are sneaking into the country from neighbouring South Africa and Botswana without going through the mandatory testing and quarantine period of 21 days, putting mainly the rural populace at risk.

Chairperson of the Kwekwe Taskforce on Covid-19 who is also Kwekwe District Development Coordinator, Mr Fortune Mpungu said the worst affected areas were the rural parts of the district like Silobela and Zhombe.

“We have sent our Rapid Response Team to track down returnees who are sneaking into the country and avoiding the mandatory testing. Our response team which is made up of officials from the department of health as well as police details and other Government officials, is doing a great job and its proving to be working for the best,” he said.

Mr Mpungu said to date, eight returnees have been tracked down and tested.

“Five of them have since been put on isolation at their homes or in isolation centres where they are being monitored by health officials,” he said.

Mr Mpungu hailed members of the community as well as traditional leaders and councillors who have been forthcoming with useful information.

“We are also working with our legislators, traditional leaders and local councillors who are providing crucial information. I also thank villagers who have since discovered how important it is to provide such vital information. They have since realised how critical it is to do so and we have been working well together,” he said.

Kwekwe has to date recorded 23 cases of Covid-19 infections.

Meanwhile, the district is racing against time to complete isolation centres as it is only relying on Mbizo 16 Clinic which has a capacity of carrying only six patients.

Bell Medical Centre in Redcliff which has a carrying capacity of 80 people, has been undergoing renovations and is now 90 percent complete while Kwekwe General Hospital is 80 percent complete.

“Within a week, we will have our isolation centres complete. As for Bell all the tiling, painting, carpentry work has already been done. We are now working on connecting water from a nearby Ziscosteel borehole. As for the Kwekwe Hospital ward, the funds ran out but the hospital staff have since applied for the funding and once we receive the funding then we will be able to complete the ward,” said Mr Mpungu.