Covid-19: Cumulative total of cases rises 254 in Mozambique; returnees “do not have to come with a test”

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Covid-19: Cumulative total of cases rises 254 in Mozambique; returnees “do not have to come with a test”

10:21 CAT | 01 Jun 2020

Photo: A Verdade

Between Friday (May 29) and Sunday (May 31), 21 new positive Covid-19 cases were diagnosed in Mozambique, two of which are children. The National Director of Public Health, Dr Rosa Marlene, also announced that 61 more Mozambicans were repatriated from South Africa and that other Mozambicans, currently in Pakistan, are expected to return soon. None of these “need a test to be able to enter their own country”.

After testing 1,060 suspected cases, the Ministry of Health announced that over 21 new Mozambican nationals had diagnosed positive in the last 72 hours, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases in Mozambique to 254.

On Friday (29), a Mozambican patient in Changara district, Tete province, aged 35-44 years old, was identified during active surveillance, but with only mild symptoms and was therefore kept in isolation.

On Saturday (30), ten infected people were detected in the provinces of Maputo, Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Maputo City. In the capital of Palma district, Cabo Delgado, five male individuals were diagnosed, all contacts of a positive case. One is in the 15-24 age group, two in the 25-34 age group, one in the 35–44 age group and one in the 45 – 59 age group.

In the city of Nampula, two male individuals were diagnosed, one in the 5-14 age group and detected through active surveillance, and the other in the 35-44 age group, a contact of a positive case.

In Maputo city, a male child under the age of five was identified through active surveillance, and two other female individuals were diagnosed in Maputo province, one in the 25-34 age group and the other in the 35-44 age group.

On Sunday (31) a woman over the age of 60 was detected through active surveillance in Nampula province. Another nine infected persons were diagnosed in the capital of Palma district, Cabo Delgado province, all male, four in the 25-34 age group, three in the 35–44 age group and two in the 45–59 age group.

The Director-General of the National Institute of Health clarified that the new positive cases diagnosed on Sunday (31) in Cabo Delgado province “are all contacts of the same positive case. We detected a transmission focus and the screening process led to the identification of positive cases, all asymptomatic, but they are positive cases and are part of a transmission chain that is being identified at the level of Palma (the district capital)”.

Repatriated Mozambicans are not required to bring a Covid-19 test

The National Director of Public Health revealed that, on Friday (May 29) evening and the early hours of Saturday, 61 Mozambicans were repatriated from South Africa, none of whom had been tested for the new coronavirus.

“The information we have is that they did not have the test performed in South Africa. All 61 were tested on arrival,” Dr Rosa Marlene said. On Saturday (May 30), they went to their destinations in Mozambique in means of transportation organised by the national authorities. Four went to Maputo city, 23 stayed in Maputo province, 25 went to Gaza, four travel to Inhambane and five are on their way to Manica.

Dr Rosa Marlene also revealed that a group of 42 Mozambicans in Pakistan will be repatriated by air on the 5th of June to Malawi, and will from there travel by bus to Mozambique.

Asked by @Verdade if Mozambicans who are being repatriated are required to undergo a Covid-19 test before embarking, the National Director of Public Health said: “Our repatriated compatriots have every right to return to their country as soon as there is an opportunity to do so. Testing in the diaspora is not within our protocol. We test them here. You don’t have to come with a test to be able to enter your own country.”

By Adérito Caldeira