CABINET has announced that citizens wishing to return to Zimbabwe will now be quarantined at their own expense as part of efforts to curb the spread the of the coronavirus.
Staff Reporter
According to information minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, the country has as at 16 May, 2021, recorded cumulative COVID-19 cases of 38 560, with 36 329 recoveries and 1 582 deaths. The recovery rate stands at 94.2%, with 95.5% of COVID-19 positive cases being attributable to local transmission. The number of active cases stand at 649.
In order to ensure enforcement of Statutory Instrument No. 108 of 2021 in relation to the country’s ports of entry and exit, Cabinet wishes to advise that citizens returning to Zimbabwe will now be quarantined at their own expense.
“Furthermore, those travellers found to be positive for COVID-19 will be isolated at an isolation centre at their own expense,” said Senator Mutsvangwa.
With regard to stepping up surveillance of the public transport system, she added that the Vehicle Inspectorate Department, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) are flushing out the unregistered vehicles.
“To date 7 012 vehicles have been impounded for failure to display number plates and illegal operations (mushikashika). Cabinet also wishes to inform the public that the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and (National Lockdown (No.2) Order, 2020 published in Statutory Instrument (SI) 200 of 2020 was amended on Friday 14 May 2021 and published in SI 119.
“The major highlight of the amendment is that it now defines persons entering Zimbabwe into 3 categories, namely: (a) returning citizens or residents of Zimbabwe; (b) persons referred to in section 8(1)(i) of the Statutory Instrument (SI); and (c) a national or ordinary resident of a SADC country in transit through Zimbabwe to another SADC country.”
Meanwhile, in terms procurement and roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, as of 16th May, 2021, a total of 591 808 people had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines and 222 450 their second dose across the country.
“Members of the public are urged to go to their nearest health facility to receive their COVID-19 vaccine so that the country achieves the required herd immunity to control the spread of the disease. The nation is advised that a COVD-19 patient from Kwekwe died on arrival at Kwekwe General Hospital on 12th May 2021. Contact tracing has detected positive cases in the family of the deceased, further there was a student who had arrived from India on the 29th of April 2021 and the student was PCR negative.
“Another test was conducted on the student after the death of the COVID-19 case and results were negative. To date, eleven COVID-19 cases are linked to the case of the person that died in Kwekwe. The nation is advised that Genomic sequencing tests are being done to determine if there was an import of the Indian strain. All positive persons are quarantined at home, are stable and are being closely monitored.”
