Health authorities in Zimbabwe have confirmed that Covid19 mortalities in the country have now risen to nine with 18 new infections recorded, bringing the national cumulative figure of coronavirus cases in the country to 734.

In its latest Covid19 update, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) said the ninth Covid19 death recorded on Monday is of a 54 year-old man from Bulawayo Province who tested positive for coronavirus.

“Today (Tuesday), we regret to report a facility death of a male aged 54, from Bulawayo Province who tested positive yesterday (Sunday) with no history of travel and had co-morbidities,” partly reads the latest MoHCC update.

Meanwhile returning Zimbabwean citizens, who include 16 from neighbouring South Africa and two local infections constitute the new 18 infections recorded on Monday.

Zimbabwe has,since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 20 this year, recorded 197 recoveries, 528 active Covid19 cases, an overal 734 cases and nine deaths.

“New recoveries were recorded by the following provinces: Harare (12), Masvingo (2) and Midlands (2). (On Monday), 253 RDT screening tests and 312 PCR diagnostic tests were done. The cumulative number of tests done to date is 80 654 (47 086 RDT and 33 568 PCT),” the ministry specified.

Zwnews