Zim’s Covid-19 cases jump to 17

Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe now has 17 confirmed cases of Covid-19, up by three cases in a single day, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has said.

This is the biggest jump yet in the infection rate since the first case was recorded late last month.

In its daily update, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the
latest cases were all recorded in Bulawayo, the country’s second biggest city, after a total of 41 samples were tested on Monday.

Thirty five samples were tested in Harare and came out all negative while three of the six tested in Bulawayo were positive.

“The National TB Reference Laboratory in Bulawayo tested six samples
and three were positive for Covid-19,” said the Ministry.

Two of the three cases, both women aged 79 and 52 respectively, had a
connection to an earlier patient who died.

While the 52 year old had direct contact with deceased patient, who
succumbed to the virus on April 4, the 79 year old stayed at the same
old people’s people home with the deceased but “however denied having
had any direct contact with the late.”

The third case, known as Patient 15, had no recent history of travel or contact with a confirmed case.

All the three are said to be “stable, with mild disease” and are self
isolating at home.

To date the country has carried out 604 Covid-19 tests on suspected cases and 587 of them have been negative.

The confirmed cases to date have been recorded in four out of the
country’s 10 provinces with Harare, the capital leading with seven,
followed by Bulawayo with five, Mashonaland East with four and
Matabeleland North with one.

While there are no recoveries registered yet, the country has recorded
three Covid-19 deaths.

Zimbabwe remains under lockdown from March 30 to April 20 as the country battles to contain the spread of the virus.
New Ziana