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Officials discovered at least 50 fake Covid-19 tests at the Beitbridge border crossing this weekend.
Limpopo Health MEC’s Dr Phophi Ramathuba confirmed that false tests, showing a negative result for Covid-19, were being sold to those attempting to enter South Africa at Beitbridge.
This as the Department of Health enforces regulations that require anyone entering the country to submit a negative test, taken no more than 72 hours before a border crossing.
On December 25, the department suspended the inspection at the Beitbridge border crossing between South Africa and Zimbabwe to ease congestion. The antigen testing requirement, which the department introduced through amended sanitary instructions, was reported to be slowing down processes at the border.
However, Ramathuba said authorities would not dispense with testing when travelers returned from Zimbabwe, adding that around 70 positive cases had already been recorded at mobile testing sites at the border.
“Everyone who re-enters South Africa must have the Covid-19 test results.
“We found that people buy the test results. It is very clear that they are false [test results] – they have contact numbers that do not exist or are created on letterheads copied from pathology laboratories, ”he added.
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According to TimesLive, the evidence was being provided by unions.
The discrepancy was first detected when health officials questioned travelers about how the Covid-19 tests were performed, Ramathuba said.
They said the travelers had told them the test was done on a blood sample, rather than a nasal swab.
“Anyone who’s ever tested for Covid-19 will know that having a nasal swab is very uncomfortable. But we found that people said they had their fingers pricked for the test, as if it were an HIV test, “he added.
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Ramathuba said the tests sold for about $ 50.
“People are paying a lot of money. They are desperate to enter South Africa. “
He added that 17 false test results were discovered on Friday, and another 30 on Saturday.
After a visit to the border on Sunday, Ramathuba said that at least 50 false documents had been discovered over the weekend.
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