By Staff Reporter.
Villagers at Chaya Village under Chief Mapanzure have raised safety concerns after two brothers returned to the area after crossing the border from South Africa illegally.
Villagers who spoke to Great Dyke News 24 on condition of anonymity said the two have been in the village for close to four days now and they haven’t been tested.
In a telephone interview with Great Dyke News 24, Chief Mapanzure confirmed the presence of the two who are yet to be tested but have been instructed to self-isolate by the local Environmental Health Technician.
According to Habakkuk Trust illegal entry points along the Zimbabwe-boarders may result in the unchecked community spread of Covid-19. Villagers who are engaged in menial jobs as maids and herd boys in villages in the neighboring countries are reportedly trickling back through these points.
Cases of smuggling of goods along the Zimbabwe-South Africa border fence have also been on the increase during the lockdown period. Porous entry points have been cited as a cause of concern in combating the transnational spread of Covid-19 between Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Botswana.
The government began a nationwide lockdown on March 30, which was slightly eased and extended indefinitely on May 16.
The measure is intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 and requires public activities to cease and informal markets to close, with exceptions for certain food and fuel vendors as well as health-related facilities. People are required to wear face masks in public.
All arrivals will be subject to strict screening procedures including rigorous enforcement of a 21-day self-quarantine.
The Government of Zimbabwe announced two hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo, its two largest cities, will handle quarantine cases of travelers suspected with COVID-19.
Information about plans to handle cases in Victoria Falls, an international travel hub, remain limited.
