Wakanda News Details

COVID-19 : Are we doing enough?

The killer virus continues to terrorise the entire world with an average daily global mortality of over 5 000 people. It is very sad considering that the number of new infections continues to rise. Africa has been relatively safe with lower morbidity and mortality. Less than 500 000 cases have been reported in Africa with just over 10 000 deaths. Zimbabwe has recorded 605 positive cases as of Wednesday July 1, 2020, with only seven deaths. More than 80% of the cases are returnees from other countries, leaving local transmissions at less than 20%. If the figures are anything to go by, then we are in the right direction as a nation. It appears as if we have managed to contain the virus. This low local transmission rate can thus be traced to the lockdowns, social distancing, wearing of masks which the government took very seriously especially during the first weeks of implementation. However, many people are sceptical about the COVID-19 situation in the country. We have not witnessed extraordinarily high number of deaths which may justify the inconspicuous presence of the virus among us. All is well as I see it but we should no allow complacency and ignorance to encompass us. We will surely perish as the situation in South Africa is not pleasing at all. On Tuesday 30 June, South Africa lost 128 people, the highest daily mortality for an African nation since COVID-19 outbreak. Many people still have questions about whether Zimbabwe is doing enough to contain the virus. Some epidemiologists postulate that the worst is still to come hence the need for more strict lockdown measures to be put in place for some time. We do not want to be like Brazil where the government did not implement any lockdown measures, but got a rude awakening and now its mortality is frighteningly high. South Africa, our neighbour is in the midst of a disaster and we do not want to even imagine the situation and the possibility of the virus virulently encroaching into Zimbabwe. To date, Zimbabwe has tested only less than 70 000 people against a population of about 15 million. The majority of tests done recently are among the returnees, some of whom have been in quarantine centres for some days. This may show the inadequacy of testing considering that such testing is centralised that seems to ignore those who illegally cross into the country. The border with South Africa has many illegal entry points like Chiqualaquala, Chikombedzi, Gezani, Chituripasi and these border jumpers have their immediate destinations in towns like Chiredzi, Beitbridge, Masvingo. It would thus make sense if scaled-up testing is done in these towns and if resources allow, all patients visiting hospitals in these areas should be tested without fail. Results should be availed as soon as possible. It is a pity that even in Harare, some patients take up to five days before they receive their PCR results. We should be more serious as a nation. Screening, testing and treatment are vital processes if we are to win the fight against COVID-19. This is the time for scaled-up screening a

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