Kwekwe Awaits Gene Sequence Results From South Africa

Staff Reporter

Kwekwe medical department confirmed that index test samples are still in South Africa for gene sequencing and the results are yet to return.

Following a series if surveillance tests by Kwekwe medical fraternity at various districts schools, samples of index cases have been sent to South Africa for gene sequencing determination.

Assistant Director of Health Nursing Services for Kwekwe District Tendayi Shumba said that the tests where done and positive cases where alarming.

“At Chiedza Primary School we tested 65 individuals and recorded one positive case, at Ruvimbo Primary we tested 95 people and recorded six positive cases, at Maryward Schools we managed to test 52 individuals and we recorded seven positive cases. At Maryward, we managed to carry out contact tracing and discovered 56 cases and 23 were positive. We are still unaware of the of the positives cases but samples have been sent to South Africa for gene sequencing, a process done to determine which variant it is,” said Shumba.

While the City of gold awaits results from South Africa, Kwekwe residents have been slapped with a 14 day long lockdown extension.

On top of the school data base, there are also confirmed cases from Mbizo 3 and the surrounding settlement areas.

Former Health Minister Dr Henry Madzorera says that the lockdown is actually ineffective and purposeless because these tests were only centralized at schools.

“The lockdown is targeting the wrong institutions because business has and continues to be usual in Kwekwe. For the past three to four days, approximately 300+ tests have been made and the majority of them are schools.

The virus is among and when it comes to testing a holistic approach should be put into place,” said Madzorera.

He added that the lockdown is unholy because churches are always at a disadvantage when a lockdown is envisaged yet churches are the most disciplined institutions