Christopher Makaza
All sporting activities and events have been suspended with effect from today 14 June 2021 till further notice following Health and Child Care Minister, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s announcement of additional lockdown measures, Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has said.
In a Press Statement yesterday, the SRC urged all national sports associations, clubs, gyms and related stakeholders to abide by the suspension without exception.
“The Sports and Recreation Commission hereby notifies members of the public that pursuant to the Statement issued by the Honourable Vice President of Zimbabwe, Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Childcare, setting out the additional measures to curb a renewed of surge in COVID-19 infection rates. All sporting activities and events are hereby suspended with effect from Monday (today) 14 June 2021 until further notice.
“The SRC is well aware of certain on-going, or contemplated, national sports commitments (including qualifiers for international events), and will be in urgent direct communication with relevant national associations there off on guidance, and other mitigatory measures, in light with the above suspension,” reads part of the statement.
Announcing the new measures on 12 June 2021, meant to curb and prevent a potential third wave, Health and Child Care Minister, Vice President Chiwenga noted that there has been a general complacency in adhering to the preventative measures both in the communities and work places, which has resulted in the surge of cases.
Among measures announced include banning of gatherings among them sports activities, weddings, church gatherings and music festivals.
The Vice President revealed that the last seven days had seen 596 new cases and 26 deaths as compared to the same period in May 2021 where the country had 132 new cases and 6 deaths, more than four fold in increase in new cases and deaths.
Meanwhile, as at 13 June 2021, Zimbabwe had 39 959 confirmed cases, including 37 004 recoveries and 1 632 deaths. To date a total of 693 147 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
