Zim defers schools opening, as Covid-19 cases spike

ZTN Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s Government has further deferred the opening of schools and will tighten lockdown measures in light of spiking Covid-19 cases.

Schools were scheduled to open on 28 July, while the country had relaxed lockdown conditions to allow more businesses to operate.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa told journalists in Harare on Tuesday that, “Cabinet is disturbed by the spike in COVID-19 locally transmitted cases and the number of deaths recorded,”.

Cases breached the 1 000 mark on Monday, while the death toll went up to 19.

Senator Mutsvangwa said Cabinet resolved, “that the re-opening of schools shall be deferred pending a review of the situation, while the writing of public examinations continues”.

She added, “the current lockdown restrictions will be tightened, while localised lockdowns are introduced in hotspot areas and further opening up of the economy is halted”.

Private schools that have already opened have been warned that they risk being penalised. The deferment of schools opening and tightening of lockdown measures is part of a host of measures adopted in response to the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases.

Some of the measures include increasing testing in communities with high cases of local transmission such as Bulawayo.

Government also announced that it shall have the sole responsibility for inter-city travel for those that really require to travel, especially to seek medical attention.