13 more Mpilo Central Hospital nurses have tested positive to Covid-19 and are part of the 60 cases which have been reported in Bulawayo.
Earlier this month, a nurse from the same institution tested positive to the global pandemic which led to Mpilo testing 197 health workers who were in contact with her and three patients who were positive.
The nurses have been put on isolation and Mpilo is yet to test more health workers who were in contact with the 13 as there are test kit challenges.
In an interview, Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Cde Judith Ncube said it was worrying to note that health workers testing positive for Covid-19 were on the increase.
Minister Ncube said members of the public were deliberately exposing health workers to Covid-19 by illegally coming into the country without going through quarantine centres.
She urged members of the public to adhere to rules and regulations that had been laid down to control the spread of Covid-19.
“Thirteen of our nurses tested positive to Covid-19 and it’s mostly because of our reckless behaviour as residents. I know there are people who are sneaking into the country and by-passing quarantine measures that have been laid down and that exposes our health care workers,” said Minister Ncube.
Medical practitioner Dr Khayelitsha Dube said nurses were more at risk to Covid-19 due to the longer periods they spend with members of the public in their day to day duties.
“We are more at risk because of the concentration of sick people that we interact with in our duties. What makes it more dangerous is the fact that most people may have Covid-19 but they do not know as they have not yet tested,” said Dr Dube.
