The city of Bulawayo is now the epicenter of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in Zimbabwe after a record five new cases were confirmed on Wednesday.
The country’s second largest city now has a total of ten Covid-19 positive cases while Harare, the capital, has so far recorded eight cases. When the current national lockdown got underway this April, Bulawayo did not have any confirmed coronavirus case but figures have, of late, shot at an alarming pace.
Zimbabwe has recorded three deaths and 23 confirmed Covid-19 cases although reports indicated that the figures have shot up to 24.
According to authorities quoted by the state-owned Chronicle, the reason why Bulawayo recorded an increased number of new coronavirus cases this week is attributed to the failure by the general populace to adhere to lockdown and self-isolation measures.
“From what I have seen, people initially responded very well to lockdown measures but all of a sudden, it seems people have taken a view that they are on holiday, children playing on the streets and others unnecessarily going to town. There is so much unnecessary movement if I can put it that way,” said Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Dr Welcome Mlilo on Thursday.
“It’s an issue of whether we are following the lockdown measures that have been put in place. Are people observing the lockdown? Are the citizens of Bulawayo observing the lockdown? Are we following the messages that are coming from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, hand washing, are we practicing social-distancing? Those are the key issues that play an important role in controlling this outbreak,” he said.
State Media
