More districts go under localized lockdown

18 Jun, 2021 - 09:06 0 Views
More districts go under localized lockdown President Emmerson Mnangagwa

The Sunday News

Nontobeko Mlotshwa, Sunday News Reporter

THE Government has intensified lockdown restrictions in Makonde, Hurungwe and Kariba districts to curb the surge in Covid-19 cases.

Already the government had put Kwekwe and Karoi under a strict localized lockdown, with the Ministry of Health and Child Cares also identifying Masvingo and Chiredzi as Covid-19 hotspots.

In Bulawayo, Nkulumane, Emakhandeni and the city’s northern suburbs have been identified as hotspots.

In a statement, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said to the intensification of the lockdown in these districts was after noting a rise in Covid-19 cases in Mashonaland East which has claimed the lives of two government officials.

“Covid-19 cases continue to increase in these districts. On Monday 14 June 2021 Mashonaland West had 38 new cases, on Tuesday the figure went up to 155 new cases and 105 new cases the following day,

“Karoi has 10 tobacco auction floors and this has resulted in the town drawing growers from as far as Gokwe and Chegutu and people from Harare. We lost two senior government employees today in Karoi. In Chinoyi test on 15 people found all 15 Covid-19 positive. There is a serious outbreak in Zambia and this exposes Kariba to Covid-19 from across the border,” said the President.

According to the new restrictions, in these districts, business hours are expected to start from 8am to 3pm and the curfew from 6pm to 6am except for essential services.

Further all offices have been ordered to decongest to 25 percent while the tobacco auction floors and the Grain Marketing Board will operate from 8am to 3pm.

“Every employee of the tobacco auction floors to have a negative PCR or rapid antigen Covid-19 test not older than ten days. Each batch of bales to be accompanied by a maximum two people. All vending in and around the tobacco floors is prohibited.

“All gatherings except funeral gathering are banned and funeral gatherings to have maximum of 30 people and public transport to carry half their carrying capacity,” reads the statement.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe registered seven more Covid-19 related deaths and 371 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total number of people who have tested positive to for the virus to 40 927.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care as of Thursday, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Zimbabwe now stands at 1 647 while the national recovery rate stands at 91 percent.

“371 new cases (all local and one from South Africa) and seven reported deaths in the last 24 hours, seven-day rolling average for new cases rises to 204 today (Thursday) from 160.

“34 new recoveries reported: National Recovery rate stand at 91 percent and active cases go down to 2 171. As of June 16, 2021, Zimbabwe has now recorded 40 927 Confirmed cases 37 109 recoveries and 1 647 deaths,” reads the statement.

The Ministry further reported that the vaccination programme is continuing countrywide with 1 554 people having received their first dose on Thursday bring the cumulative number to 698 953 while 3 660 received their second dose bringing the cumulative number for the second dose to 427 134

According to the Ministry, the deaths were recorded in Bulawayo, Manicaland, Midlands with two deaths per province and one in Harare.

Mashonaland East had the highest number of 125 new cases followed by Masvingo with 72 cases and Harare with 45 cases.

“As of June 16, 2021 at 3PM, there were 108 people who were hospitalised of which five were admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) while 67 had mild to moderate symptoms. 13 patients had severe symptoms while 23 were asymptomatic,” reads the update.

Ends/

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