Zim records five new Covid-19 cases

Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 cases have risen to 23 after five people in the country’s second largest city, Bulawayo, tested positive.

“All the five new cases are due to local transmission,” the Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday night. 

Bulawayo is now Zimbabwe’s epicenter of the virus with 10 cases.

Harare, the capital, has eight, while Mashonaland East province has four and Matabeleland North province one.

One person has recovered, and three others tested negative in the initial test. 

They are awaiting results of the second confirmatory test in keeping with World Health Organisation recommendations. 

A total of 716 tests have been carried out nationwide, with 693 emerging negative. 

Three people have succumbed to the virus in Zimbabwe. 

The country has expanded the case definition of Covid-19 and plans to test 1 000 people monthly.