Nine Malawian nationals who crossed illegally into Zimbabwe from South Africa and were intercepted along with 32 others have tested positive for COVID-19.
The nine have now been put on isolation at the National Social Security (NSSA) hotel in Beitbridge while the thirty-two have since been moved by the Government to their embassy in Harare pending repatriation.
The latest development was confirmed on Wednesday by the Director of Social Welfare in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Totamirepi Tirivavi. He said:
The group was profiled and screened for the COVID-19 and nine have been isolated in Beitbridge pending further PCR tests.
These will only be allowed to travel once they are fit to do so. We have since moved 32 others to Harare in liaison with the Malawian Embassy pending their repatriation.
The Malawian citizens were intercepted on Tuesday by security agents on patrol while seeking transport from haulage trucks at a local truck stop.
In another development, nine 19 people who escaped quarantine in Beitbridge on Monday night are still to be located.
The escapees are part of the people arrested along the Limpopo River for facilitating the smuggling of goods.