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Mthabisi Tshuma, Chronicle Correspondent
PLUMTREE High School, which has been turned into an isolation centre for deportees from Botswana as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, on Tuesday received 87 more deportees bringing the total number to 368.

The deportees have been spread among three hostels and those that came in yesterday were screened and tested for coronavirus.

The deportees are being handled by an inter-ministerial team under the district civil protection unit (CPU).

In a telephone interview yesterday, Plumtree Town council chairman, Councillor Fanisani Dube confirmed that they received the deportees from Botswana.

“We received 87 deportees on Tuesday who came from Botswana in two batches and they have been placed under quarantine at the school.

“We have accommodated them in three hostels to avoid overcrowding and they are grouped according to their genders,” said Cllr Dube.

Cllr Dube said the deportees were tested before admission at the isolation centre and none of them showed symptoms of Covid-19.

“So far none of them are showing any symptoms of the virus and they were screened and tested as they came into the centre,” he said.

Bulilima West Member of Parliament Cde Dingumuzi Phuti who visited the centre yesterday accompanied by Cllr Dube said officials at the isolation centre indicated that they have a carrying capacity of 500.

“I am happy with the level of dedication to social work displayed by officials from the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare through the able stewardship of their authorities,” said Cde Phuthi.

Cde Phuthi assured communities in Plumtree, who had raised fears that the isolation centre would expose them to infections, that they were safe.

He added that the town’s business community will be roped in to provide essential services to the deportees. — @mthabisi_mthire.