Exactly fifty-eight days after the country recorded its last Covid19 death, Zimbabwe on Saturday confirmed its fifth mortality of the pandemic in Gweru.
The death of a Gweru woman who tested positive for Covid19 yesterday is the first in the Midlands province and the second one since the country’s fourth and last case in former cabinet minister Sylvester Nguni’s 82-year-old mother, was recorded.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavhima confirmed the fifth Covid19 death at a Zanu PF meeting in Gokwe yesterday.
He said he had received a call from Midlands provincial medical director Dr Reginald Mhene on Friday night notifying him of the death.
Mavhima is also the chairperson of the Midlands Provincial Covid-19 Taskforce.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of a woman from Gweru who is said to have been Covid-19 positive. Dr Mhene called me last night (Friday) giving me the update,” Minister Mavhima said.
“He told me that tests done on the woman after her death showed that she was Covid-19 positive.This brings to five the number of Covid-19 related deaths in the country and the first in the province,” said the Minister.
He also implored on Gokwe villagers to religiously abide with the set lockdown regulations in the pursuit of mitigating the spread of the novel coronavirus in their communities.
Mavhima also said law enforcement agencies will descend on citizens who wantonly break the current lockdown regulations. Since March 30, the country has been on a lockdown which has since been revised to an indefinite Level 2.
Since the beginning of the national lockdown three months ago, Zimbabwe has recorded 479 cases and 63 recoveries.
state media
Additional Reporting: Zwnews
