A 26-year-old Zimbabwean man who was to undergo a test for the coronavirus ‘escaped’ before it could be conducted.
The Zimbabwe health ministry confirmed that the man who had been referred to Wilkins Hospital for further tests, "fled before testing was done".
According to authorities, the man arrived in Zimbabwe in February from Thailand.
Dr Prosper Chonzi, Harare City Council's health director, said "The patient arrived at the hospital in the company of his father and two other men, but they all disappeared before the screening process was conducted".
Medics who took his temperature after arrival recorded it at 38.6°C, above normal body temperature.
A statement from Zimbabwe’s health ministry said, “He did not meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of a suspected case but was still earmarked for a Covid-19 test due to intensified surveillance that the country has adopted."
Police are in hot pursuit of the man, whose nationality has not been disclosed.
WHO says there are over 114,458 confirmed cases around the world.
The virus has led to at least 4, 027 deaths as at today, Tuesday with over 60,000 recovered cases.
South Africa reported four more cases on Monday, bringing the total infections to seven. South African government said all individuals recently returned from Italy.
There are over 100 confirmed cases in Africa among them;
Senegal- 4
Tunisia- 5
South Africa- 7
Algeria- 20
Egypt- 59
Burkina Faso- 2
Togo- 1
Morocco- 2
Nigeria 2
Cameroon- 2
