OVER 100 Bondolfi Teachers’ College students who tested positive for Covid-19 last week have recovered but health officials in Masvingo province are worried about the spike of new infections in Chiredzi district.
MORRIS BISHI
Until Monday this week, out of 853 people who were tested at the college 120 tested positive but the institution is now left with less than 20 people in isolation after most of them recovered with the province now left with 32 active cases.
Masvingo provincial Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi told The NewsHawks that cases at Bondolfi are on the decline with only a few now left in the institution’s isolation centre. He however said it is worrying to note that most of the people in Masvingo are no longer respecting government regulations meant to reduce the spread of the deadly virus.
“Most of the students and staff who tested positive to Covid-19 at Bondolfi Teachers’ College have fully recovered and only a few are still in isolation. Ministry of Health is still investigating the cause of the outbreak at the institution but the situation is now under control, as you can see that the cases are fluctuating.
“We are still worried about the number of people who are violating set guidelines meant to reduce the spread of the virus. People are moving around without masks and observation of social distancing,” said Irimayi.
Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeus Shamhu told The NewsHawks that despite witnessing positive developments at Bondolfi, the province is worried about the spike in new cases in Chiredzi district. He said he instructed health officials in the lowveld town to investigate the causes of the spike.
“A big number of those who tested positive to Covid-19 at Bondolfi Teachers’ College have recovered, we are only left with a few who are still isolated. The recovery rate is impressive at the institution, but we are worried with new cases coming from Chiredzi district. I instructed health officials in the district to investigate the cause of the latest spike and as usual we call upon people to respect the World Health Organisation and government guidelines so that these infections can be reduced,” said Dr Shamhu.
On Monday, Chiredzi recorded seven new cases with nine more recorded on Tuesday. The figure rose to 19 on Wednesday, making it the district with the second-highest number of infections after Masvingo district.
Chiredzi, the province’s economic capital because of the sugar production, is at high risk since it is used as a gateway to South Africa and Mozambique by border jumpers.
