Zimbabwe extends lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to decline but deaths remain high

Zimbabwe yesterday extended the Level Two national lockdown by two weeks as coronavirus cases continued to decline but deaths remained high.

The extension also meant that schools will remain closed but acting President Constantino Chiwenga hinted that they might be opened one week after the lockdown which means they could open in the first week of February.

There were 553 new cases and 16 deaths yesterday but 1 685 people recovered resulting in the number of active cases dropping to 15 406.

There have been 12 379 recorded infections and 234 deaths so far this month compared to 78 633 cases and 297 deaths in December. This means that there is one death for every 53 cases this month and one death for every 265 cases in December.

Mashonaland East had 705 recoveries with cases dropping to 3 162. Mashonaland West is down to 2 519, Harare to 803, Masvingo 604 and Bulawayo 491.

The positivity rate went up slightly to 9% but the recovery rate is now 91%.

Over 17 000 people were vaccinated yesterday with 6 447 getting the first jab, 8 306 the second and 2 520 the third. More than 25 000 people have now received the booster shot.

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