FULL TEXT: Health Ministry's COVID-19 Update 15 March 2020

The Ministry of Health has issued the following statement to update the nation on the development of COVID-19.

Ministry of Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE: 15 MARCH 2020

As of the 14. March 2020. 142 539 confirmed cases of COVID-I9 and 5 393 deaths have been reported from 135 countries globally. Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic, with more repotted cases and deaths. The number of African countries who have reported confirmed COVID-I 9 cases has increased to nineteen.

Intensified Surveillance and Screening As of the 13. March 2020, more than 9 700 travellers have been screened at our ports of entry and put on surveillance. The National Microbiology Reference Laboratory has tested 14 suspected cases for COVID-I9 and all were Negative for COVID-19.

The Ministry would to reassure the nation that to date, there are NO confirmed cases of COV10.19 in Zimbabwe.

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The Ministry would like to report a case of a 25-year old female student from Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University who was admitted to the University clinic on the 13th March 2020 after presenting with a history of flu-like illness (sore throat, runny nose, headache, general body malaise and dry cough). Due to her history of travel, the clinic nurse immediately notified the local Rapid Response Team as she suspected COVID-19.

The woman reported having travelled from China on the 5th of February 2020 and had a one-day layover in South Africa. On the 27th of February, the again travelled to South Africa and returned to Zimbabwe the following day. She had no contact with anyone with a flu-like illness except for one of her dormitory mates who had a flu-like illness on the 10th of March 2020. without any history of travel outside Zimbabwe.

The local COVID-19 Rapid Response Team immediately went to assess her and found that she did not meet the WHO case definition of a suspected case. She was therefore managed appropriately and due to intensified surveillance, samples were also collectedfor COVID-I9 testing and the results were negative.

The Ministry remains on HIGH alert to the COVID-I 9 pandemic which affects every sector. A multisectoml approach in responding to this pandemic is key and is therefore being followed, guided by the National Preparedness and Response Plan.

Prevention Measures for COVID-19 disease DO’S

• Wash your hands frequent, with soap, and water or use an alcohol based hand rub
• When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth with a flexed elbow or with a tissue then throw it in a bin
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact with people who have a fever. are coughing, sneezing and have come from a country with confirmed COVID-I9 cases
• Share accurate information from the Ministry’s daily updates. COVID-I9 Situation Reports and WI IO advice on ww.cpi.win.com