President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a dusk to dawn curfew, 6pm to 6am for all with the exception of essential service providers as the country continues to record more Covid-19 local transmissions and imported cases in general. Exempted businesses to operate from 8am to 3pm and deliberate or reckless transmission of Covid-19 has been criminalized.
The lockdown changes were a result of the rapid increase in the number of total infections, especially the local transmissions witnessed in the past weeks.
Intercity travelling has been suspended due to a growing number of covid-19 cases in the country, especially in urban areas. Only approved buses are allowed to move around.
All non-working sections of the society is required to stay at home except for essential movement to buy food, find water or for medical reasons. When travel becomes essential masks should be worn outside of homes; everyone should be screened when entering public places and buildings; social distancing observed; public transport passengers screened and sanitised on boarding with buses disinfected between round trips; and intercity movement remains banned.
Zimbabwe has a total number of 1 820 confirmed cases of covid-19, 488 recoveries and 26 deaths. The Ministry of Health and Child Care announced another 107 confirmed infections today, whereby 84 of the new cases are local transmissions and the other 23 imported from South Africa and Botswana.
“These urgent and necessary measures will entail curtailing the freedoms we have always enjoyed, and have grown accustomed to. From now on, these freedoms stand suspended and deferred, in the interest of all of us; indeed, in the interest of our children and our nation which must survive, thrive and prosper beyond this pandemic. No responsible Government places its citizens in harm’s way, hence my Government will do all it can to preserve and protect the right to life,” he said.