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    Updated: Zim extends lockdown indefinitely

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    Harare(New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday extended the Covid-19 lockdown for an indefinite period.

    The announcement comes a day before the current level 2 restrictions were scheduled to end.

    Zimbabwe has to date recorded 42 confirmed cases of Covid-19 including 13 recoveries and 4 deaths.

    In an address to the nation at State House, President Mnangagwa said so far the lockdown had contributed to the reduced number of local transmission of Covid-19 hence the need to continue with that trajectory.

    “Despite these many achievements in the implementation of the National Preparedness and Response Plan, the outbreak is not over, and our country still has some gaps. These gaps are being addressed in a targeted way using a comprehensive COVID-19 preparedness and response strategy which takes into account risks and needs of different communities and populations.

    “Zimbabwe will therefore continue on the level 2 lockdown for an indefinite period. We shall have regular two- week interval reviews to assess progress or lack of it. This should give us more time to strengthen the prevention and case management approach for the various risk populations.

    “The modified phased re-opening strategy will further allow us to increase surveillance including early detection, testing, isolation, contact tracing, treatment and care with focus on high risk populations,” he said.

    President Mnangagwa said initial studies estimated that Zimbabwe would have about 1 000 confirmed Covid-19 cases by April 29th but the lockdown prevented further spreading of the virus.

    “Our country therefore undertook an intensive surveillance and case finding approach. This entailed testing all hospitalised patients for COVID-19, individuals presenting with fever and influenza-like illnesses as well as contact tracing.

    “To date, the lockdown period has contributed to the fact that local transmission of coronavirus has not been widespread in our country. Cases reported to date have mostly been imported or linked to imported ones,” he said.

    “In order to maintain the positive momentum and not lose the gains so far, the country needs to ease out of the lockdown in a strategic and gradual manner. We must thus continue to minimise the risk of sudden spikes in the number of cases,” he said.

    He added: “To this end, it is imperative that we keep the pandemic curve flat to prevent the loss of life and devastating effects of the socio-economic environment of our country.”

    Regarding the opening of schools and colleges, President Mnangagwa said these would remain closed but a phased reopening would be carried out, starting with exam classes.

    “As previously stated, public exam classes within schools and final year students at colleges and universities must be allowed to continue, recognising however, the stipulated Covid-19 prevention measures.

    Meanwhile clear plans of the phased re-opening of schools must continue to be put in place,” he said.

    He said all businesses and industries seeking to re-open should follow laid down measures previously announced in relation to social distancing, hand sanitization and temperature checking.

    “Shops and supermarkets should continue to enforce the social distancing of their customers. The operating times of all businesses have been adjusted to be from 8 am to 4.30 pm,” he said.

    Informal markets will however remain closed.

    “Consultations on the phased re-opening of the informal sector are still ongoing. To date, only designated food markets shall be permitted to open,” said President Mnangagwa.

    Bars and gymnasiums remain closed while inter-city and cross border movement of people remains banned except the transportation of cargo.

    “The measures currently in place in relation to social gatherings for worship, weddings, funerals, political rallies and other such gatherings, remain in force. Low risk sporting codes, as will be outlined in the Statutory Instrument, shall be allowed to take place.

    “Bars and gymnasiums remain closed. Restaurants and food outlets are permitted to open only for takeaways and deliveries,” said the President.

    Commuter omnibuses and unregistered taxis also remain banned while the country would introduce mandatory testing of all cross border truck drivers.

    “Only ZUPCO buses and ZUPCO contracted commuter omnibuses with the stipulated number of passengers, and adhering to the sanitization, and disinfection regulations will be permitted to operate.

    “There shall be mandatory testing of truck drivers and other high risk populations,” said President Mnangagwa.

    The move comes amid reports that six Zimbabwean truck drivers tested positive to Covid-19 in Zambia on Friday.

    President Mnangagwa appealed to all citizens to support the measures laid out under level 2 of the national lockdown to stem the spread of Covid-19.

    “I urge all of us to stay at home and only move when its necessary to do so,” he said.

    New Ziana

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