By Rutendo Jiri

Government has intensified COVID-19 prevention in schools in the wake of a spike in reported cases of new local transmissions, a Cabinet Minister has said.

The Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs and Chairperson of the COVID-19 Ad’Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said Government was concerned with increased cases of COVID-19 in schools.

“Of concern, is the increase in the number of new cases detected, from 281 recorded in week 46 to 594 in week 47 following the re-opening of schools,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri Kashiri said in the wake of increased new cases in schools, Government has come up with measures to contain further spread of the virus.

“In order to control the spread of COVID-19 in schools the following measures are being implemented: intensification of the supervision and inspection of boarding school facilities; providing potable water to 48 schools in Bulawayo which are in dire need of the facility,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri Kashiri stressed the need to strengthen public health response measures in affected schools and supporting all education institutions to fully implement COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures and implementing COVID-19 protective measures in the social spaces beyond school premises.

She expressed concern over the local media’s reportage of COVID-19 in the country.

“The media is urged to report responsibly on the situation prevailing in primary and secondary schools and seek information from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and also the Ministry of Health and Child Care on issues of interest,” she said.

This follows negative reports by the local media responsible for causing undue panic among the public over Government’s handling of COVID-19 in schools.  

Meanwhile, the Minister said that the country’s borders have been reopened and Government would allow gatherings of up to a 100 people in line with social distancing regulations.