Active coronavirus cases continue to drop but Zimbabwe extends lockdown

Active coronavirus cases in Zimbabwe continued to drop as Zimbabwe yesterday recorded 130 new cases, two deaths and 166 recoveries but the country extended the Level two lockdown because of a potential fourth wave and the general complacency being experienced in most communities following the relaxation of the lockdown.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-cabinet briefing yesterday that implementation and enforcement of all Public Health and Social Measures will continue to be strengthened with a focus on vaccine rollout and awareness campaigns at public places and gatherings.

Zimbabwe, however, opened licenced bars to fully vaccinated clients only because the continued closure of bars and night clubs was causing not only a loss of income and unemployment but had resulted in the mushrooming of illegal outlets.

Bar owners are, however, required to ensure that the World Health Organisation and national protocols and guidelines are enforced otherwise their licences will be withdrawn.

Vaccination picked a little yesterday with just over 31 000 people getting the jab, 11 002 the first dose and 20 104, the second.  Just over 2.3 million people are now fully vaccinated.

While most African countries are failing to vaccinate their people because of a shortage of vaccines, Zimbabwe has nearly eight million doses that have not yet been used because of the slow offtake.

Mashonaland East continues to have the highest number of active cases at 555 followed by Matebeleland North with 452. Bulawayo is down to 162 while Harare rose to 64 but still has the lowest number of cases in the country.

Active cases are down to 2 593 while cases to date rose to 131 335, deaths to 4 629 and recoveries to 124 113.

The recovery rate rose by one percentage point to 95%.

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