Kwekwe CPU tighten lockdown

Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
Kwekwe District Taskforce on Covid-19, a sub-committee of the District Civil Protection Unit, has convened an emergency meeting where it resolved to tighten the localised lockdown amid surging infections in the mining town.

The Government placed Kwekwe under localised lockdown after an Indian variant was detected in the city where it killed one person.
Cases have been on the increase despite the localised lockdown and cumulative cases since May 24 have risen to 104 and 67 of these are active cases.

Two members of the same family suspected to have contracted Covid-19 died on Tuesday but authorities are yet to confirm.

Chairperson of the district CPU, Mr Fortune Mpungu said police told the meeting that an increasing number of residents were violating lockdown regulations.

“We agreed that members of the security forces should tighten the lockdown regulations in response to the increase in new cases. Police told us that people were not adhering to Covid-19 regulations and we asked them to arrest all violators,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said illegal commuter omnibus operators were also causing havoc.

“In that regard we asked the police manning roadblocks to be very strict to curb unnecessary movement of people. We agreed that no illegal commuter omnibuses should be on our roads,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said it was difficult to enforce the lockdown since most businesses were operating as usual.

“Businesses are operating normally which makes it difficult to enforce lockdown regulations meant to decongest the city,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said the committee also agreed to intensify awareness and education campaigns across the district.

Mr Mpungu, however, said the situation at Marryward Children’s home which recently recorded high numbers of positive cases, was under control.

“The children and staffers were placed under quarantine at the institution and so far there are no signs and symptoms, a confirmation that most of them have recovered,” he said.

Cabinet recently extended Kwekwe city’s localised lockdown by a further two weeks.