Harare (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe reported two more Covid-19 cases on Friday, bringing the country’s tally to seven including one fatality.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the latest two cases-all female-had contact with one of the earlier cases.

They were part of at least 23 suspected cases that tests had been carried on.

“The Ministry would like to report that today the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested 23 samples, two of these tested positive for Covid-19 and both are contacts of the third case,” the Ministry said.

“Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has seven confirmed cases of Covid-19, including one death.”

The Ministry said of the cases confirmed to date, three were due to contact with an infected individual.

“Our teams are currently seized with enhanced surveillance through contact tracing by following up on all known contacts of these cases.”

On Friday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa ordered a total Covid-19 lockdown in Zimbabwe on from next week to better prepare the country to combat the pandemic.

The national lockdown decision was made after medical experts warned infections could spike sharply in the approaching winter season.

Under the lockdown, which takes effect from Monday next week, only medical staff and employees in critical sectors such as energy, retail, food and water will be allowed to go to work.

Private public transport services will be suspended, only that offered by the government will be available.

Until now, government had only ordered a partial lockdown of its services by permitting a third of its 300 000 strong workforce to be reporting for work at any given time.

The lockdown is the boldest precautionary measure the government has taken against the raging pandemic which has killed over 20 000 people around the world and stricken hundreds of thousands of others.
New Ziana