Zimbabwe to be on coronavirus alert until end of the year

Zimbabwe has declared coronavirus “a formidable epidemic disease” until 1 January 2021 which gives the Minister of Health powers to declare lock-downs and detention or isolation of patients, and even the destruction of buildings.

This was done through statutory instrument 98 of 2020.

Parliamentary watchdog, Veritas Zimbabwe, said “this means that the Minister of Health and Child Welfare will continue to have power until that date to make regulations under section 68 of the Public Health Act dealing with Covid-19”.

It said the minister’s “regulations can be very drastic indeed, providing not just for lock-downs but also for the detention and isolation of patients and the destruction of buildings”.

Zimbabwe has been under a national lockdown since 30 March. The current, third, phase ends on 17 May, but an be extended.

SI 98 also says the minister can terminate the regulations or extend them by a month at a time.

Zimbabwe has so far tested 13 329 people for the coronavirus.

Only 34 are positive. Four of them have since died and five have recovered which leaves the country with 25 active cases.

By mid-day today the world had 3.67 million cases of coronavirus and a staggering 994 new deaths with Spain alone accounting for 185, followed by Mexico with 117 ad Russia  with 95.

The United States now has 69 968 deaths, with 47 new ones.

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