by Christopher Makaza

The Ministry of Health and Child Care and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officials will now be deployed at funerals as a measure to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, a Government official has said.

Posting on his Twitter handle, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Ndabaningi Nick Mangwana revealed that traditional leaders, faith-based ministries, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and community based volunteers would also be trained to play a role in curbing the spread of the disease as such gatherings.

“From now, Police and Health officials will be deployed at funerals as part of measures to combat COVID-19. Only 4 people would be in the room with the body. Traditional leaders, ministries, NGOs and Community Based Volunteers will be trained to play a role,’’ posted Mangwana.

Government has since banned gatherings of more than 50 people including funerals and churches to ward off the spread of the coronavirus.

Addressing the nation recently, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the rapid spread of the COVID-19 disease meant that the Government could no longer be complacent and urgent measures should be introduced to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Restriction of business operating hours, from 8 am to 3pm and a countrywide dawn to dusk curfew as well as a stay at home order for non- working population were some of the measures, which came into effect yesterday.

“No responsible Government places its citizens in harm`s way, hence my Government will do all it can to preserve and protect the right to life. Accordingly, Government has decided on the following measures which take full effect from 22 July, until further review and notice.

“As of 22 July 2020, all our security services must enforce a dusk-to-dawn curfew set to come into force daily between 1800 and 0600 hours. Only essential services are exempted from this curfew,’’ said the President.

The President further said all non-working sections of the society were compelled to stay at home except for purposes of securing food, water and health services.

As at 22 July 2020, Zimbabwe had 2034 confirmed cases including 510 recoveries and 26 deaths.