200 more test kits for Masvingo

MASVINGO Province has received a second consignment of 200 rapid results test kits as the Government moves to ensure more people get tested for Covid-19 and curb its spread.

The province exhausted its initial allocation of 200 rapid results test kits last week after expanding the fight against the pandemic to remote areas.

Masvingo is still to record its first Covid19 case, with all results from tests conducted coming out negative.

Provincial medical director Dr Amadeous Shamu yesterday said testing for Covid-19 was being expanded to contain the spread of the disease.

Testing enables those infected with Covid19 to be isolated early and get treatment under quarantine before they infect more people.

“We are expanding our testing for Covid19 to all parts of the province as Government continues to avail more test kits,” he said.

“We got an initial batch of 200 rapid results test kits and we have already exhausted them.

“I am happy to announce that we have received another batch of 200 test kits which is a positive development in our fight against the spread of this virus.”

The province expected Government and its partners to continue availing more test kits for Masvingo to remain on top of the Covid-19 virus.

“So far all the tests that we conducted have tested negative,” said Dr Shamu. “We have eight more samples that we have sent to the national testing centre in Harare and we are waiting for results.”

Dr Shamu said a pregnant Zaka woman who showed some mild symptoms of the disease at Musiso Mission Hospital and tested positive for Covid-19 after testing using rapid results kits, came out negative after she took the test for the second time.

“We sent her samples to Harare last week and her results came out negative,” he said. “So, as a province we remain without a single Covid-19 case.”

Masvingo province has been working flat out to boost its fight against Covid-19, with the private sector donating ethanol for manufacturing hand sanitiser at Great Zimbabwe University.

The provincial taskforce on Covid-19 led by Minister of State for Masvingo Ezra Chadzamira has also been spearheading the setting up and equipping of district isolation centres to handle all cases of the disease in the event of an outbreak.

The main isolation centre at Rujeko Clinic in Masvingo is now ready to receive Covid-19 patients and is equipped with ventilators.