Zimbabwe Imposes Second Lockdown over Covid-19 Infection Surge

Zimbabwe’s President Emerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday imposed a second lockdown following a surge in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the country.

The restrictions under level 4 lockdown will be in place for the next 30 days. They include a stay-at-home order except movement to access food and medicine.

President Mnangagwa, in a tweet, has urged people to avoid large gatherings and non-essential travel.

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He wrote, “Zimbabwe is entering a second lockdown to stop the spread of a COVID-19 second wave.

“Please, for the sake of your family and loved ones, avoid large gatherings and non-essential travel.

“This is the final push – let’s defeat this virus for good.”

Police have mounted checkpoints on major roads leading to the capital, Harare, where only essential service providers are permitted to pass.

Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, on Monday, said that it was necessary to return to more intense measures to contain the spike in infections.

He said, “Globally, there was also a new strain in the UK and South Africa as well as new waves of infections in many countries.

“Our own infection and death rates were rising exponentially and Government took a very proactive decision to contain this before it overwhelmed our health services which are still in recovery mode.

“The only way to contain these soaring numbers was to take our regime back to Level 4 lockdown.”

The country’s death toll stands at 384.

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  • Biola Festus is a seasoned journalist with a decade of experience reporting across Nigeria's Niger Delta Region. With a niche in human interest stories, particularly environmental issues, Biola has honed her skills in documentary writing and editing and feature stories. Her expertise extends to content creation, making her a versatile storyteller in the media industry.

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