WILD COVID-19 SEARCH COMMENCES
The community testing comes after four Zimbabwean nationals who tested positive in Zimbabwe were found to have been staying in Mogoditshane prior to their departure
Mogoditshane is a hive of activity everyday. The weekend is even busier at the shopping malls, car dealerships and many other business operations where illegal immigrants search for piece jobs at the peri-urban village, Gaborone and other areas.
This is the same place where the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) is trying to trace individuals who could have had contact with four Zimbabweans who tested positive for COVID-19 upon return to their home country.
MoHW public health specialist, Dr Lebapotswe Tlale on Saturday announced that the ministry would conduct random coronavirus (COVID-19) community testing in Mogoditshane from May 31.
This comes after the four Zimbabwean nationals were found positive of COVID-19 upon testing in Zimbabwe where it was found they were staying in Mogoditshane prior to their departure. Dr Tlale said the community testing would take a week to conduct on a target of 6,000 people from at least 1,600 households in Mogoditshane. Dr Tlale said they would be testing in all the Mogoditshane wards.
While residents got on with their daily business, health officials visited various homesteads conducting the tests. The residents who tested were however not worried.
“I doubt there could be any case in Mogoditshane and we are not even worried as we get tested. I think they just want to tick a box,” one resident who tested said. Efforts to get a comment on how the first day of testing went hit a snag. Press secretary to the President, Batlhalefi Leagajang said a press statement would be issued today.
The Monitor wanted a summary of how the first day of testing fared. This publication also wanted to know what challenges were encountered in the process and what the plans would be to overcome them.
The Monitor not only wanted statistics of the first day of community testing, but also wondered whether the experts think they would meet the target in the given timeframe. This publication also wanted to know if they are only testing residents of Mogoditshane or those also working at and doing business in the village.