Deadly Indian Covid-19 variant detected in Zimbabwe

GOVERNMENT yesterday said the Covid-19 variant which India is grappling with has reached Zimbabwe and travellers from that country will now be mandatorily quarantined upon arrival.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is reclassifying the highly contagious triple-mutant Covid variant spreading in India as a variant of concern, indicating that it's become a global health threat.

According to WHO, a variant can be labelled as of concern if it has been shown to be more contagious and more deadly.

Uganda was the first country in Africa to confirm the presence of the variant first identified in India late last year in a sample taken from a traveller.

The new wave of infections in Africa is thought to be partly associated with the emergence of some variants that are more transmissible.

Following, the detection of the variant from India in Zimbabwe, Government has since announced measures to prevent it from spreading.

In a statement yesterday, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care said the B.1.617 variant predominantly from India was detected following an outbreak in Kwekwe.

"Genomic sequencing test was carried out on samples collected from a reported focalised outbreak in Kwekwe which was linked to a traveller from India on the 29th of April 2021, a high risk Covid-19 transmission area.

"The test conducted revealed that the B.1.617 variant predominantly from the Republic of India was detected at the focalised outbreak in Kwekwe. The nation is therefore advised that this variant B.1. 617 is now in Zimbabwe," said Vice-President Chiwenga.

The VP said returnees from India will be further tested for Covid-19 even if they present Covid-19 travelling certificates.

"The following travel advisory is therefore being issued. People travelling from or transiting from India will be subject to mandatory quarantine at a designated quarantine centre and at their own cost. These travellers will be subjected to a Covid-19 test on arrival despite the status of their travelling certificate," said the Vice-President.

He urged members of the public to stick to Covid-19 prevention measures which include social distancing at all times, proper wearing of face masks, regular washing of hands and avoiding unnecessary travelling.

Vice-President Chiwenga urged citizens to also take advantage of the Covid-19 vaccination exercise being rolled out by Government.

He said travellers coming from other countries will be quarantined for 10 days if they do not present proof of a Covid-19 test.

"Travellers coming into the country from other countries should present a Covid-19 PCR test done not more than 48 hours from the time of departure, failure of which this will be done on arrival on one's expense.

"Travellers will be quarantined for 10 days from the date of arrival," he said.

The Vice-President also said people should be vaccinated at their nearest health centre.

Health experts have warned people not to let their guard off as complacency could result in a third wave of Covid-19 infections.

As of Tuesday, the country had recorded 38 527 Covid-19 cases, 1 582 deaths and 36 349 recoveries while active cases stood at 641.

The country had also vaccinated more than 222  000 people.

Following the deadly strain that has hit India, the country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said the outbreak is reaching rural areas with great speed as infections crossed the 24 million mark.

Until late February, India was considered a success story, with experts surmising that declining infections were probably due to the South Asian country's warm climate, young inhabitants and high population density. India is unfortunately now the epicentre of the pandemic.