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NewsDay

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Parirenyatwa malaria patient tests positive for COVID-19

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A patient, who was being treated for malaria and was admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, has tested positive for the new coronavirus.

A patient, who was being treated for malaria and was admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, has tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The patient, who tested positive on April 24 was due for discharge as he was responding well to malaria treatment.

The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals released a statement confirming the case and outlined the measures they have undertaken such as “continued isolation of the confirmed case in the private room, while awaiting for discharge formalities and recovery from home where he will be followed up”.

The hospital now plans to test all staff members who were exposed to the patient and also to sterilise the facility.

Zimbabwe has recorded 32 cases of COVID-19 a figure which has been steadily rising and new cases are now being reported daily.

The country has experienced exponential growth in the number of malaria cases with an outbreak being recorded in Uzumba, Maramba and Pfungwe which saw almost 2 500 villagers testing positive for malaria in a single week.

The national health director for the malaria programme, Joseph Mberi attributed the 40% increase in malaria cases and deaths to the peak season of malaria transmission which runs from February to May.

The health director also stated that some symptoms of malaria mimic those of COVID-19.

Speculation has been rife among social media users that coronavirus statistics could be covered up as malaria cases.