The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
PEOPLE who test positive for coronavirus and develop mild symptoms are given painkillers while those not showing any signs are not given any medicine, a medical expert has said.
Only those who become critically ill and develop difficulties in breathing are taken to medical facilities for hospitalisation and treatment.
Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said handling of Covid-19 patients is categorised in four groups.
“Coronavirus patients are divided into four categories. There are patients who will have been in contact with a coronavirus patient and they are not sick, they are just contacts so they are just observed and quarantined at home so there is no treatment for this group.
“Then there are also people who develop mild symptoms like a small cough and flue, they are just given paracetamol while still at home recovering. Then we have those that are critically sick and cannot breathe, those are then the ones who are taken to hospital and intensive care and given treatment. Some of the treatments may involve chloroquine, antivirals and so on,” he said.
Dr Ngwenya said so far, a majority of coronavirus patients in Zimbabwe are people who came into contact or people with mild disease and are self-isolating at home. He said there was also a category of those who would have died from Covid-19.
“Most people will recover from this virus and they will be fine. They fight off the virus, there is not much treatment since it is a virus, your body fights it off naturally,” he said.
Some people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in Bulawayo and are self isolating at home have said that they have run out of food and are in need of assistance. However, Provincial Welfare Officer for Bulawayo Mr Fanwell Dzoma said there was no programme to assist people who would have tested positive for Covid-19 with food handouts.
“We do not have such a programme (where food parcels are sent out), people are applying for financial assistance, those who deserve and not everyone. Applications are made by the individuals,” he said.
Bulawayo has 12 confirmed cases of Covid-19 of which one resulted in death while no recoveries have been recorded yet.
