A 45-year-old man, Elton Mapinge, said he was tested for coronavirus three times and results came out negative even though he was exhibiting symptoms of the viral disease.
Mapinge, a family man, farmer and politician, was tested for the fourth time and it was only then that results came out positive.
As a COVID-19 survivor, Mapinge said the only way to break the stigma around the virus is to talk about it and share personal experiences. He said:
I am one of those who contracted the virus without thinking it would happen. I think I got the virus when I travelled in a car with friends and we closed windows and used the air-con. Little did we know that despite having masks on closing windows as we did was dangerous for us.
After some days I started feeling weak and my condition got worse I couldn’t breathe properly and was taken to the hospital.
I first went to a private hospital but it became expensive for me and decided to go to the provincial hospital where I was put on oxygen and given medication to help me with the pain I felt.
I was tested three times but my results came out negative. I had other tests run but the fourth time my results came out positive.
Then I was sent home for isolation. I stayed with family but had my own room and they sanitised the toilet and bathroom whenever I used them. It was made easy because my family was supportive.
As of 06 February 2021, Zimbabwe had 34 487 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 28 383 recoveries and 1 316 deaths.