Stakeholders in Neno District Monday expressed worry over trucks that park at Zalewa Trading Centre, fearing the drivers could be transmitting agents of the Covid-19 to locals with whom they interact with.
This was discussed during a joint meeting between the District’s Civil Protection Committee and Public Health Emergency Committee on preparations for the outbreak.
Members felt that personnel in the trucks posed a threat of transmitting the Corona Virus as most of them are operating from the affected countries like South Africa passing through Zimbabwe and Mozambique who have registered cases.
“We all know that once these trucks park there, they seek contact with our people and that’s where danger comes,” a businessman, Alick Makiyi observed.
District Commissioner (DC) for Neno, Blessings Nkhoma said they would consult the Central Government on how they could handle the threat.
Medicines San Frontiers reported to the meeting that it was in the process of training sex workers whom they work with on how they could handle the situation and the need to pay attention to the signs and symptoms on them or people around them.
The organization said they were procuring hand washing facilities for bars, rest houses and other key places.
District Medical Officer, Dr. Enoch Ndalama said the health department would like to have the infrared thermometers that would be used to screen temperatures on the spot to suspected patients.
The meeting resolved to ban all social gatherings that included weddings, sporting activities and video shows with immediate effect.
Source : MANA
