Death spurs door-to-door testing in village

THE death of a Botswana woman, who died from the coronavirus after visiting South Africa, has spurred the North West provincial government to conduct a massive screening and testing campaign in the village of Motswedi, outside Zeerust.

The 79-year-old woman died a few weeks ago after attending a funeral in Motswedi on March 15.

Botswana Deputy President Slumber Tsogwane last week said the woman, from Ramotswa outside Gaborone, was that country’s first coronavirus fatality. She was admitted to hospital after showing symptoms.

The woman was quarantined at home before being taken to Bamalete Lutheran Hospital where she died on March 25.

Fourteen people she had been in contact with were identified, quarantined and tested for coronavirus in Botswana.

The provincial government, under Premier Job Mokgoro, began screening and testing for Covid-19 in Motswedi yesterday.

On Sunday, spokesperson Vuyisile Ngesi said the provincial government decided to test the entire village as most of them lived in close proximity to one another.

He said the province had, over the weekend, received its share of the 67 mobile clinics, procured by the National Health Laboratory Services, in order to conduct the screening. The provincial government would also add its own mobile clinics.

“The screening and testing will be conducted street by street. If people are found with symptoms, they would be referred to the mobile clinics for testing,” Ngesi said.

Ngesi said their programme was boosted by many retired healthcare workers.