The Zimbabwe government has reduced the quarantine days to 7 days after it has failed to cope with the number of returnees. Initially the government had set the days at 21, which is above the standard number of days of two weeks as set by the World Health Organisation.
The development was announced by Minister of Health Dr Obadiah Moyo during a news conference streamed on social media. Zimbabwe quarantine days have been reduced to 7, according to the Voice of America a news agency broadcasting in the country.
Moyo said the Cabinet has decided to reduce the quarantine period to seven days in a move to decongest the quarantine facilities.
Read More: Two recent UK returnees in Belvedere test positive for covid-19
Shortage of quarantine facilities in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is facing a shortage of quarantine facilities in the wake of mass deportations and returning of Zimbabweans who find themselves jobless abroad. There is an estimated two million Zimbabweans living in South Africa alone and some of them have asked the government to be repatriated home as they are facing hunger due to loss of jobs. South Africa has been under a national lockdown for the past month and there are no signs that the lockdown will be lifted anytime soon. Zimbabweans coming via the Beitbridge border are staying at the NSSA hotel in the border town.
Botswana has also deported Zimbabweans last Zimbabwe and they are currently quarantined in Plumtree.
Zimbabweans have expressed their worries in the manner in which returnees and deportees are being handled. Recently 65 cruise ship workers returned from the UK and were quarantined at Belvedere teachers college. The facility is reported to have no running water and the returnees are being made to share toilets which increases the risks of the spread of covid-19.
Zimbabwe’s covid-19 cases are from people returning from other countries especially the UK.
Zimbabwe currently has 28 covid-19 cases, 4 deaths and 2 recoveries.