Covid-19: Zimbabwe arrests 182 people for defying lockdown
ZTN Reporter
Zimbabwe has arrested 182 people for defying the 21-day lockdown announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week.
This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa while presenting an update on Covid-19 as part of the Government appointed taskforce on the disease in Harare.
Most of the violations related to people operating shebeens and failure to observe social distancing by people drinking alcohol in groups.
“The police will continue to monitor and where there is need to take action against those on the wrong side of the lockdown they will take action.”
“Some citizens continue to struggle in practicing social distancing. Government urges each and every one of us to observe it. We have to be each other’s keeper to beat this invisible enemy, coronavirus,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
The lockdown entered day 4 today and is meant to minimise spreading of the coronavirus through person to person contact.
So far, eight Zimbabweans have tested positive for the virus while one has succumbed to the disease.
The World Health Organisation says the number of confirmed cases recorded is almost one million people worldwide.
Minister Mutsvangwa said local institutions of higher learning have begun to play their part in contributing to the fight against coronavirus by producing different products.
She said the University of Zimbabwe and Great Zimbabwe University have begun the production of hand sanitisers, while the Zimbabwe Defence Forces will also produce forty thousand masks and sanitisers by the end of this week.
The Minister said Caps Holdings will produce eight million Vitamin C tablets by Friday, while the District Development Fund has drilled nine boreholes at Parirenyatwa hospital and will drill another borehole at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre.
She added that ten water bowsers have been donated by businesspeople to provide water in Harare and Bulawayo.
Speaking at the same occasion, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said Zimbabwe is now in total lockdown and there is need for everyone to cooperate in order to win the fight against the pandemic.
He said on Tuesday 33 people were tested for Covid-19 and all of them tested negative, adding that a number of Government Ministers were also tested and the results are expected today.
The Minister said testing will now be decentralised and carried out in all provinces. At the moment testing is being conducted in Harare only.
He said each and every provincial hospital should be able to test for Covid-19 and encouraged all Zimbabweans to pray to God to protect them against the coronavirus.
“Let us also pray to God. With God we shall win the fight against Covid-19”, he said.