Zimbabwe President Extends COVID-19 Lockdown

Posted by Daniel Jones African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Around Africa, South Africa, Southern Africa Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Zimbabwe has extended the current Covid-19 level four lockdown

by another two weeks saying deaths and new cases were still worryingly high.

Announcing the extension as the country celebrated the 41st Heroes Day in the capital, President Mnangagwa said while infections have decreased over the last two weeks the number of deaths remains high.

He said the country fears the 4th wave which is already affecting some countries.

“Several countries globally and regionally are beginning to experience the fourth wave. Quite worrisome to us are trends in countries that are next to us. In almost all of our neighbours, infections have shown an upward trend.”

As at 08 August 2021, Zimbabwe had 116 327 confirmed cases, including 88 829 recoveries and 3 900 deaths.

About 1 864 204 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

New cases per day dropped to 437 on Sunday down from a high of about 3 000 per day during the course of the past fortnight as the 3rd wave ravaged the country.

Seventy-four people succumbed to the global disease on Sunday alone. Under level four lockdown, announced in June and extended cumulatively, businesses are allowed to open between 8am and 3.30pm while a dusk to dawn curfew is in place.

Industry and businesses are compelled to decongest the workplace to 40 percent with the rest of the workers working from home.

All companies are directed to observe all the Covid-19 World Health Organisation Protocols at the workplace.

Intercity travel is prohibited except for the production and distribution of food and medicines and commercial transport to allow the economy to continue to run.

All people however must observe Covid-19 Protocols;

Travellers from countries with Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants are quarantined and tested four times on at their own expense during their stay while those with fake Covid-19 documents attract custodial sentences.

Those deported back to Zimbabwe are subject to self-quarantine or quarantine in identified places

Government rolled out vaccination blitz targeting border towns and cities, tobacco auction floors, grain marketing depots, cotton marketing depots, major construction sites, people’s markets and all hot spots.

Politicians were tasked to disseminate information especially on the vaccination programme in their constituencies.