Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Republic Police on Wednesday arrested over 4 800 people countrywide for contravening Covid-19 national lockdown regulations.
The country went into level four lockdown as from Sunday as a means of containing the spiking figures of infections that were being recorded in the country. The new regulations included a 6pm to 6am curfew, church services have been banned, funeral gatherings have been limited to 30 people, bars and bottle stores shut down, restaurants closed while intercity and interprovincial movement has been limited to those classified as essential service providers.
Posting on their Twitter account, ZRP reported that on Thursday that they made a total of 4 801 arrests for various Covid-19 related violations.
“3 150 people were arrested countrywide on 6 January 2021 for contravening Covid-19 National Lockdown regulations, 1 651 suspects were arrested for not wearing face masks. The public should prioritise the health, safety and security of all. Let’s not be reckless in this Covid-19 environment.
“Members of the public are urged to take the Covid-19 pandemic seriously and follow proper procedures in obtaining screening certificates as shortcuts may put their lives and those of others at risk,” said the police.
Health experts recently said that if the public continues to flout lockdown regulations, its extension was imminent. They said with the public not taking ownership of the stipulated prevention measures, Government might be forced to extend it beyond the 30 days announced last Saturday.
Sidumisile Mabena