Covid-19 cases increasing

Harare (New Ziana) – Covid-19 cases are increasing yet again in the country lately, with a cumulative 269 new infections recorded between Sunday and Wednesday, statistics show.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, six Covid-19 deaths were also recorded during the four-day period.

Cases of the pandemic had subsided sharply over almost a year but started picking up again after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Before the holidays, an average of 20 infection cases was recorded in a day countrywide, but this has now gone up to over 50 daily.

This has prompted health authorities to urge people to take precautions, such as masking up, sanitising and getting vaccinated.

Cumulative COVID-19 cases in the country since the pandemic’s outbreak in 2020 stand at 261 125, with 254 629 recoveries and 5 649 deaths.

The recovery rate is 98 percent, with 847 active cases. The Covid-19 pandemic is now in its fourth year.

Recently, the World Health Organisation also urged people to still maintain vigilance against Covid-19, to help wipe out the pandemic.

Neighbouring South Africa and Botswana recently detected the new, highly transmissible XBB.1.5 Covid 19 variant, raising fears this could spread to Zimbabwe.

But so far there has, however, not been a significant difference in the severity of cases caused by XBB.1.5 and those from other previous variants.

The government has allayed fears following the discovery of the XBB.1.5 Covid variant in South Africa and Botswana, saying it had put in place sufficient measures and safeguards in place to control it.

New Ziana