Categories: Stories

Zimbabwe tests a record 583 for coronavirus in one day, only one positive

Zimbabwe yesterday tested a record 583 people for the coronavirus as it stepped up its screening and diagnostic testing in all provinces and only one was positive.

The figure was higher than all the people that had been tested until four days ago as the Ministry of Health had tested 563 people by 13 April and 14 were positive.

Now the country has 24 positive patients, three of whom have died and two have recovered.

The highest number of those tested yesterday was from Masvingo with 128, followed by Mashonaland Wes with 126 and Mashonaland Central with 122.

All 36 tested in Bulawayo yesterday were negative while one of the 74 tested in Harare was positive. Bulawayo now has 10 cases while Harare has nine.

The ministry said one of the patients, identified as case Number 16 has passed on the virus to four other people:

  1. A four-year-old girl
  2. A 10-year-old
  3. A 34-year-old
  4. And a16-year-old.

Patient number 15 had also passed on the virus to a 54-year-old woman.

All were said to be stable and on self-isolation at home with mild disease.

Zimbabwe declared a 21-day national lockdown which started on 30 March and ends on Sunday.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said his government will decide either on 20 or 21 April whether to extend the lockdown or not, but the government was urged to announce any extension in advance to allow people to prepare.

Click link below to receive free updates by whatsapp

https://chat.whatsapp.com/IjKB2tQriIv3s0CUZMVUPS

 

(108 VIEWS)

This post was last modified on April 17, 2020 8:51 am

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

Recent Posts

Is it true that 4 million Zimbabweans went without food on several occasions last year?

At least four million people in Zimbabwe reported that they had gone without food on…

November 5, 2026

Did you know that four of the world’s largest banks are all in China?

Four of the world’s largest banks are all in China. Assets of the Industrial and…

October 15, 2026

Zimbabwe one of the 27 countries in the world where the richest 0.1% has more wealth than the bottom 80%

Zimbabwe is one of the 27 countries in the world where the richest 0.1% of…

October 2, 2026

Zimbabwe third among the least free countries in SADC

Zimbabwe has been ranked third among the least free countries in Southern Africa but it…

May 24, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death- Take 1

I had always considered it a curse for a wife to die before her husband.…

May 18, 2026

Why I had a girlfriend two months after my wife’s death

This is a true story about the challenges and loneliness I faced when my wife…

May 17, 2026