Bulawayo records 12 new Covid-19 cases

Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO has recorded 12 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the number of cases to 1 805 in the province.

According to Ministry of Health and Health Care, no deaths were reported during the same period and the death toll remained at 257.

As of Sunday, Zimbabwe had recorded 21 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 8 786.

Of the new recorded cases, 12 were reported in Bulawayo province, two in Midlands and other two in Masvingo.

The remainder of the cases were recorded in Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces.

This left Bulawayo with 1 805 cases, 1 618 recoveries, 121 active cases and 66 deaths.

According to our sister paper, the Sunday News, Bulawayo’s provincial Covid-19 taskforce has since written to the council’s health department demanding information on suburbs deemed to be hotspots to determine whether there is a need for a complete lockdown or suburb-based lockdown.

Chair of the taskforce, who is also the Minister of State Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube told Sunday News that going back to lockdown was the only way to deal with the increase in the numbers of Covid-19 cases in the city.

“We have since instructed the Bulawayo City Council’s health department to give us figures on the hotspot suburbs in the city, after which we will decide whether we do suburb specific lockdowns or lock down the entire city. What continues to be our worry is that the city’s statistics continue to rise hence the need for us to adopt a concerted effort in addressing this issue,” she said.

Minister Ncube said residents should continue to follow Covid-19 lockdown measures noting that carelessness was the cause of the increasing figures. There has been growing calls for people to respect Covid-19 regulations as people are now disregarding social distancing and were crowding at various places including bars and nightclubs operating illegally.

Despite a curfew between 10pm and 6am, bars and night clubs in the city are now operating throughout the night while many people are no longer wearing masks.