MUTARE-Manicaland has so far received 229 Zimbabweans returning from various countries housed at four quarantine facilities in Mutare, with more expected in the near future, officials have said.
Manicaland acting Provincial Coordinator, Edgars Seenza said the province has capacity to handle returning nationals and has identified 10 quarantine facilities with a total capacity of 644 to accommodate them.
He said the 229 returnees who come through Forbes, Plumtree and Beitbridge Border posts, have been accommodated at Rowa Training Centre, Forestry Industrial Training Centre and Magamba Training Centre filled to maximum capacity, while others were referred to Mutare Teachers College.
Rowa quarantine facility has the capacity to hold 45 people while FITC holds 46, with Magamba and Mutare teachers College accommodating 76 and 150 people respectively.
“Manicaland province has so far received 229 returning Zimbabweans in four quarantine centres at Rowa, FITC, Magamba and now Mutare Teachers’ College.
“We received buses from Beitbridge and we also received two buses from Plumtree with the returning residents. We are continuing to receive these returning citizens not only from the two Ports of entry but also through Forbes Border post and we are prepared to accommodate them,” said Seenza.
The returnees will be held for 21 days at the quarantine centres and released once they have been tested and cleared of Covid-19, under the quarantine measures put in place by Government to reduce the spread of the deadly COVID-19.
Dr Gwaradzimba also said the province had put in place necessary testing and treatment equipment at identified isolation centres.
The province has identified a total of 23 isolation centres across the province with work on the two provincial units at Mutare Infectious Disease Hospital and Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital is at an advanced stage.
Works at the provincial referral hospital have advanced following the setting up of a multi-stakeholder rehabilitation team coordinated by Ministry of Health and Child Care working with artisans from Mutare City Council, the department of Public Works, the Mutare business community, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army.
Funds for the superstructure and equipment have been acquired after government released $1,4 million and the City Council injected $1, 5 million towards the procurement of equipment for the Mutare Infectious Diseases Hospital isolation center.
Businesses operating under the auspices of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in Mutare have also raided an additional $1, 6 million for structural renovations of the medical facilities.
