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| Almost 300 people are quarantined at Masvingo Tachers’ College |
Moses Ziyambi
People who are
quarantined at Masvingo Teachers’ College complain that they are overcrowded
and poorly catered for, making the social distancing concept nearly impossible,
TellZim News has learnt.
quarantined at Masvingo Teachers’ College complain that they are overcrowded
and poorly catered for, making the social distancing concept nearly impossible,
TellZim News has learnt.
The people began arriving
at the venue on May 06, and most of those quarantined there were repatriated
from South Africa.
at the venue on May 06, and most of those quarantined there were repatriated
from South Africa.
Today, the place
accommodates close to 300 people, mostly Zimbabweans while the rest are
Malawians who were detained while on transit from South Africa to their home
country.
accommodates close to 300 people, mostly Zimbabweans while the rest are
Malawians who were detained while on transit from South Africa to their home
country.
Some quarantined
people, however, told TellZim News the quarantine facilities themselves were a
potential coronavirus infection hotspot as social distancing was too difficult
to practice at all times.
people, however, told TellZim News the quarantine facilities themselves were a
potential coronavirus infection hotspot as social distancing was too difficult
to practice at all times.
“Though people do not
share rooms, we share every other amenity including bathrooms, toilets and
dining space. The dining room is worse because everybody is served at the same
time; men and women, hundreds of us crowded there,” said one source.
share rooms, we share every other amenity including bathrooms, toilets and
dining space. The dining room is worse because everybody is served at the same
time; men and women, hundreds of us crowded there,” said one source.
The quarantined people
are accommodated in Masvingo Teachers’ College hostels which they say are not
in the best of condition in terms of sanitary facilities.
are accommodated in Masvingo Teachers’ College hostels which they say are not
in the best of condition in terms of sanitary facilities.
“The toilets are seldom
cleaned and there is no disinfectant being used to clean them. The bathrooms
are not scrubbed and there is no detergent used. The problem is we came from
different places so there is a risk of infecting one another when the goal is
to stop the spread of the virus.
cleaned and there is no disinfectant being used to clean them. The bathrooms
are not scrubbed and there is no detergent used. The problem is we came from
different places so there is a risk of infecting one another when the goal is
to stop the spread of the virus.
“When we finally get
released from here, we might need to practice self-isolation from our own
family members once more at our own homes,” said another source.
released from here, we might need to practice self-isolation from our own
family members once more at our own homes,” said another source.
Others also complained
that the food being served was neither adequate nor properly cooked.
that the food being served was neither adequate nor properly cooked.
The 14 Malawi citizens
held, who include a pregnant woman, embarked on hunger strike for three days protesting
their continued detention there as they argue that Zimbabwe had no right to
intercept them as they were simply in transit to their own home country.
held, who include a pregnant woman, embarked on hunger strike for three days protesting
their continued detention there as they argue that Zimbabwe had no right to
intercept them as they were simply in transit to their own home country.
