In an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic, the Zimbabwean government has made plans to test 7225 households for COVID-19 countrywide to assess the extent to which the pandemic has spread in the country.
Out of the 7225 households to be tested, 4625 households will be in the rural areas. The news was confirmed by Director of the National Institute of Health in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Professor Nicholas Midzi.
Giving a statement to the Press, the Professor said: “The tests will inform authorities on the extent to which Covid-19 has spread the high and low transmission areas as well the necessary interventions needed for each area.”
Households will be registered by ZimStat while training of health workers continues. Tests will commence after households have been registered. The tests will target all age groups from two years going upwards. Only one individual will be tested in each household.
These tests will prioritise hotspot areas like border towns, communities near the highway and communities close to isolation centres during the survey.
