THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) says it has closed its Bulawayo offices after a member of staff tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19).
In a statement Saturday, the tax collector said the employee was one of three employees who served an infected client last month and had all been in self-quarantine since.
“A Revenue Officer who was based at (the) Bulawayo Port offices served an infected client on 18 March 2020 together with two other officers,” reads the statement.
“Having received the information that the client had tested positive for COVID-19, the three officers then proceeded to self- quarantine from 27 March to 26 April 2020 in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.
“Upon returning to work on 27 April 2020, the three Officers were tested by the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The test results came out on 29 April 2020 and unfortunately one of the results came out positive with the other two being negative.”
Zimra said it would, together with the health ministry, “continue to provide the necessary support to the affected staff member and his family during the isolation and recovery period”.
The tax agency said some 52 employees who work at the Bulawayo port offices had since been tested by the health ministry with the results still pending.
“All the tested staff members and individuals have since been put under mandatory self-isolation for at least 14 days,” said Zimra.
“As an extra precaution, the Authority has closed its Bulawayo Offices with effect from 01 May 2020 to allow for comprehensive disinfection. The Offices will be opened as soon as the MHCC certifies the re-opening.”
Zimbabwe has, to date, recorded some 34 positive Covid-19 cases countrywide with five recoveries and four fatalities.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) some 3.2 million people have been infected worldwide with about 230,000 deaths.
