Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The government could be forced to impose a localised lockdown on Chiredzi District lockdown following a surge in coronavirus cases in the past few days.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s situational reports for Masvingo Province on 17 June, out of 316 tests done in the province, 77 were positive with Chiredzi accounting for 56 cases.
Most of those who tested positive were not vaccinated, while one had received all the two doses of the COVID-19 jab. Six were still to receive the second dose.
The spike in COVID-19 infections has led to the closure of several businesses in Chiredzi town, including the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe and Chingwanga Supermarket, one of the largest grocery shops in the district.
Shandai Chingwanga, the owner of the supermarket, said that they closed one of the shops to allow for fumigation after a staff member tested positive.
READ MORE: Karoi Town Engineer Succumbs To COVID-19
Masvingo provincial COVID-19 taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi said the COVID-19 situation in Chiredzi was getting out of control. He said:
The situation is slowly getting out of hand following a surge in cases in the past week or two. Although Chiredzi has been classified as one of the hotspots in the country, I think stiffer measures need to be put in place.
Meanwhile, Masvingo provincial medical director Amadeus Shamu said they were waiting for a report on what could be driving the infections, before making recommendations to the Ministry of Health. Said Shamu:
Right now, we are waiting for the report from Chiredzi. In the past week, they were carrying out investigations to ascertain the cause of the increase in positive COVID-19 cases. We can only decide or recommend if we receive a detailed report.
READ MORE: Kariba, Hurungwe Placed Under Lockdown
To date, Kwekwe in the Midlands Province, Kariba, Hurungwe and Makonde, all in Mashonaland West Province have been placed under lockdown following a rise in coronavirus infections.
