Zimbabwe Ebola scare update

The Congolese student, who was suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus, but tested negative after clinical tests, is responding well to malaria treatment.

The news crew sought to find out the truth and visited the health facility on Friday morning.

The authorities allowed the news crew inside the hospital and up to the ward where the lady is admitted.

The  medical superintendent at Wilkins Hospital Dr Hilda Bara said the patient is responding well to malaria treatment though the hospital will remain closed to members of the public for a few more days, in line with the Ebola Action Plan recommendations.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa called on health practitioners not to panic when confronted with a suspected case but to follow what is stipulated in the Ebola Action Plan.

One of the medical personnel attending to the patient since her arrival at the medical facility Matron Dorcas Nyoni said the staff has been trained on handling Ebola patients and were not afraid to render assistance to the patient.

Results of the further tests that were carried out are not yet released.

However, staff at the hospital was no longer donning the personal protective kits as fears have been allayed by the initial results that confirmed the patient is suffering from malaria and not Ebola as previously suspected.

Alarm was raised when the patient who is from Lubumbashi in DRC presented herself at Parirenyatwa Hospital on Wednesday exhibiting some of the symptoms associated with the dreaded Ebola virus.

Even after confirmation by health authorities that there was no Ebola in the country, social networks still went into overdrive even claiming the patient had died.