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Zimbabwe Extends Covid-19 Lockdown

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Zimbabwe has extended its Covid-19 lockdown by two weeks, but will reopen mining and manufacturing. The initial 21-day lockdown was due to lapse on Sunday. The country’s leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, said his Government took the “hard but necessary” decision to “arrest the infection curve” immediately. He said, “…Apart from this growing number of infections, we are deeply worried that the virus is beginning to attack our children, with more and more cases coming from local transmissions. “…Guided by these realities, and to allow ourselves greater leeway to prepare for worse times which are likely ahead, Government has decided to extend with immediate effect the National Lockdown by a further fourteen days.” President Mnangagwa went on: “I have now directed the Ministries of Health and Child Care, and that of Mines and Mining Development to work closely to ensure the workforce in the mining sector is immediately screened and tested ahead of resumed operations.” The President said the 14-day extension will see Government intensify testing and contact-tracing. “Government has now embarked upon expanded tests covering our whole country. This allows us to gauge the magnitude of the problem, while promptly isolating cases early enough from the onset of the virus, and before more and more people are infected through contact or community transmissions.” Zimbabwe has recorded 25 positive cases, including three deaths. Two patients have recovered.

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