Staff Reporter
Citizens returning to Zimbabwe will now be quarantined at their own expense and those found to be positive for COVID-19 will be isolated at an isolation centre at their own expense, Cabinet has resolved.
This was revealed by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa during the 15th Post Cabinet Press Briefing held in Harare yesterday.
Previously, Government used to provide free accommodation and food to the quarantined people.
The Minister also informed the public that the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment and (National Lockdown (No.2) Order, 2020 published in Statutory Instrument (SI) 200 of 2020 was amended on Friday 14 May 2021 and published in SI 119.
“The major highlight of the amendment is that it now defines persons entering Zimbabwe into three categories, namely, returning citizens or residents of Zimbabwe, persons referred to in section 8(1)(i) of the Statutory Instrument (SI), and a national or ordinary resident of a SADC country in transit through Zimbabwe to another SADC country, said the Minister.
With regard to stepping up surveillance of the public transport system, the Minister informed that the Vehicle Inspectorate Department, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) were flushing out the unregistered vehicles and to date 7 012 vehicles have been impounded for failure to display number plates and illegal operations (mushikashika).
Meanwhile as at 16 May, 2021, Zimbabwe’s cumulative COVID-19 cases stood at 38 560, with 36 329 recoveries and 1 582 deaths. The recovery rate stands at 94.2%, with 95.5% of COVID-19 positive cases being attributable to local transmission. The number of active cases stands at 649.
As of 16 May 2021, a total of 591 808 people had received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines and 222 450 their second dose across the country.
Government continues to urge members of the public to go to their nearest health facility to receive their COVID-19 vaccine so that the country achieves the required herd immunity to control the spread of the disease.
