Ashly Dhani
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
NINETEEN teachers and 14 learners out of a total of 299 689 in examination classes tested positive for Covid-19 across the country with Government moving in to contain the situation.
Schools reopened on August 30 for examination classes with the rest of learners having resumed face-to-face learning.
In her post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said following the detection of the cases in schools, rapid response teams are being deployed to ensure that Standard Operating Guidelines for the Coordinated Prevention and Management of Covid-19 are implemented.
“Cabinet is informing the nation that during the week under review, 14 learners of the total of 299 689 enrolled in examination classes tested positive for Covid-19. A total of 19 teachers also tested positive, and Cabinet wishes to assure the nation that rapid response teams are ensuring that Standard
Operating Guidelines for the Coordinated Prevention and Management of Covid-19 are implemented,” she said.
As of Monday, Zimbabwe’s cumulative Covid-19 cases had increased to 125 550, with 117 036 recoveries and 4 493 deaths. The recovery rate was 93 percent with 99 percent of the cases being attributed to local transmission.
The number of infections continued to fall during the week under review, with the 1 113 cases recorded reflecting a 38 percent decrease from the 1 785 reported last week.
The trend in new Covid-19 cases for the week under review has been reported as follows: Manicaland, 213; Harare Metropolitan 180; Bulawayo Metropolitan 112; Mashonaland East 137; Masvingo 132; and Matabeleland North, 96.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Government is urging citizens to continue exercising a high level of alertness so that the Covid-19 third wave does not cause further harm to health and business.
“It is encouraging to note that there has been a corresponding general decline in the number of persons in need of hospitalisation for Covid-19 management, with the country’s hospital bed occupancy also decreasing from the previous 14,5 percent to 10 percent during the week under review,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said as the vaccination programme continues to gather momentum, a total of 2 729 955 people had received the first dose while 1 728 797 had received their second Covid-19 vaccine dose by Monday.
The figures translate to a national coverage of 31,9 percent for the first close, and 20,2 percent for the second dose. Vaccination in border towns and people’s markets is ongoing.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet also approved the principles to amend the Rural Electrification Act presented by the Energy and Power Development Minister Soda Zhemu.
The Rural Electrification Act is being amended to align it to best practice. The amendments will seek, among other provisions, to provide for expanding the mandate of the Fund to include diverse sources of energy, giving the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) legal recognition as the implementing arm of the Fund, rationalising the composition and functions of the Board and allowing REA to implement its projects and reduce on contracting out.
Under the amended Act, the number of civil servants who sit on the REA Board will be reduced in conformity with the provisions of good corporate governance, as contained in the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act and there will be gender parity in the membership of the Board.
The amendments will also provide for the appointment of the chief executive officer, and for the renaming of the Rural Electrification Agency to the Rural Energy Agency. — @mashnets
Online Reporter