The Covid-19 outbreak is expected to worsen Zimbabwe\u2019s problems as the southern African country grapples with a tanking economy, the worst food shortages in decades and a collapsing health system, observers warn.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe, which has been battling a long running economic crisis, has recorded three cases of the deadly disease with one fatality so far.<\/p>\n
Manufacturing and other sectors have projected a calamitous year ahead since the country is heavily dependent on China for raw materials.<\/p>\n
A mini survey by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) revealed that the country\u2019s manufacturing has suffered a 46 per cent disruption in supply chains following the outbreak of the Covid-19 in China at the end of last year.<\/p>\n
The disease has since spread to almost all parts of the globe, with South Africa \u2013 Zimbabwe\u2019s largest trading partner \u2013 now the worst hit on the continent.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocal factories will obviously suffer the effects of the pandemic since China is the largest source of raw materials and equipment,\u201d CZI said.<\/p>\n
\u201cZimbabwe will experience major dislocations in exports and imports as the virus spreads and countries adopt restrictive responses that curb manufacturing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last month, the International Monetary Fund revised downwards Zimbabwe\u2019s economic growth forecast for the second time inside three months, slashing its own projection from 2.7 to a mere 0.8 per cent.<\/p>\n
IMF citied a devastating drought, a sharp rise in inflation and policy missteps by President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s government as some of the reasons for the projected slump.<\/p>\n
Economists said the country \u2013 already facing a staggering HIV\/Aids burden, mass starvation and economic stagnation \u2013 is too fragile to handle a pandemic.<\/p>\n
Eddie Cross, an economist and former opposition lawmaker, said Zimbabwe faces a \u201cperfect storm\u201d because as the country is already in the middle of a multifaceted humanitarian crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hate to say it but we are in for a rough time. Our wet season is almost over and we are sitting on about 450 millimetres \u2013 half our normal rainfall \u2013 here in Harare,\u201d Cross said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have had enough for our trees and grass but the rivers have not run as normal and our dams are about 60 per cent. It means livestock will struggle and our towns and cities are at risk of water shortages.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the country faces a shortage of water for the next planting seasons.<\/p>\n
Cross said Zimbabwe\u2019s economic frailties have left it at the mercy of the deadly virus that has already grounded tourism, the main source of revenue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Covid-19 outbreak is expected to worsen Zimbabwe\u2019s problems as the southern African country grapples with a tanking economy, the worst food shortages in decades and a collapsing health system, observers warn. Zimbabwe, which has been battling a long running economic crisis, has recorded three cases of the deadly disease with one fatality so far. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":21288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1361,7,12],"tags":[38,34],"class_list":["post-21286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-coronavirus-in-zimbabwe","category-files","category-policy","tag-zanu-pf","tag-emmerson-mnangagwa"],"yoast_head":"\n