Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa says life can only return to normality in his country once the majority of Zimbabweans have been vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
“This is the ultimate goal,” he tweeted as the country expects to receive its first batch of vaccines in three days.
Eighteen people died of the virus yesterday and there were 85 new cases bringing the total deaths to date to 1 382 and the number of cases to 34 949.
The number of active cases dropped to 3 937 after 159 people recovered yesterday. So far a total of 29 630 people have recovered. The recovery rate is now 84.8%.
Only Matebeleland North saw the number of active cases rise to 503. Harare was down to 1 506, Manicaland to 640 and Bulawayo to 284.
The seven-day rolling average for new cases also dropped from 128 to 111.
Zimbabwe is under a strict lockdown which ends on Monday, 15 February.
This is the same day it expects to receive the first batch of vaccines from China which has donated 200 000 doses. Zimbabwe bought an additional 600 000 doses to bring the total to 800 000.
“Thank you to both China and Russia for their donation of COVID-19 vaccines to the people of Zimbabwe. Your generosity during this dark time will not be forgotten,” Mnangagwa said.
The donation from Russia is not yet clear but Russian diamond company Alrosa said it expects to donate “dozens of thousands” of the vaccine.
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