Chronicle Editor
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
POLICE and other security agencies will increase their presence on the country’s roads while intensifying patrols, as authorities seek to curb the rising number of Covid-19 infections in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has witnessed a surge of Covid-19 cases in recent days, increasing fears of a possible third wave of the pandemic in the country. On Saturday, the Government announced a ban on all gatherings, except funerals, in new containment measures that took effect on Monday.
In a post Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said law enforcement agencies would be on the lookout for individuals or institutions that were breaking Covid-19 regulations.
“Henceforth, the public is being advised that the police and other law enforcement agencies will increase roadblocks and patrols to ensure compliance with the recently announced Covid-19 containment measures; and that Health Inspectors will vigorously enforce laid down standard operating procedures for restaurants, retailers, public transporters and other commercial operators, including revoking operating licences where necessary,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa also said the steep rise in cases could be attributed to complacency by the general public.
“The surge is mostly attributable to the general complacency in adhering to the set Covid-19 preventive and precautionary measures both in the communities and workplaces. Reinforcement of the containment and preventive measures, encapsulated in the Extraordinary Government Gazette of 14th June 2021 (Statutory Instrument 170 of 2021), has thus been instituted to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths,” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu