Kwekwe Locked Down For Three Weeks

By Mellisa Gombe
Authorities in Kwekwe have declared a 21 day local lockdown as a measure to contain the spread of the B.1.617 Covid-19 Indian variant after it claimed the life of one man last week, Nhau has learnt.

The measure follows an announcement made by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga confirming that the new variant was detected by genomic tests conducted in the city, Wednesday.

The National and District Covid-19 taskforce and Kwekwe District Rapid Response Team said the lockdown will start this Friday in a statement released on this Thursday.

As a measure to ensure compliance the two bodies announced that the Zimbabwe Republic Police will be deployed to enforce the lockdown measures.

“The Indian Variant B.1.617 is now Kwekwe. Efforts by the joint meeting of the Kwekwe District Covid-19 Taskforce and the District Rapid Response Team with advice from MOHCC head office…with effect from today.”

“The district has to go into lockdown for three weeks with effective curfew running from 7pm to 6am for a total period of three weeks. No visitors to all boarding schools and all day schools to observe strict Covid-19 school protocols.”

The statement also mentioned that all funerals must be supervised by health workers with the attendance of less than 30 people, while all other gatherings have been banned.

Shops will only open between 8am and 5pm while sit-in restaurants, bars and all liquor stores are to remain closed.

Authorities will also engage ZUPCO buses so that they avoid overloading and all quarantine, isolation and treatment centres are to be activated with immediate effect. Nhau/Indaba