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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
THE Covid-19 Delta variant is reportedly killing young adults who have been complacent about prevention measures, as they believe the virus is more deadly to senior citizens.

The Delta strain is now the most dominant in the country, accounting for 79 percent of infections.

During the month of June, Bulawayo City Council supervised 31 Covid-19 burials conducted in council-run cemeteries.

Of the total burials, a quarter were for victims aged between 20 and 40 years of age.

Bulawayo has recorded 575 deaths since the outbreak of Covid-19 last year in March and the cumulative total number of reported cases stands at 11 761.

Of the total cases in Bulawayo, 9 980 people have recovered and active cases stand at 1 209.

As at August 4, Zimbabwe had 113 526 confirmed cases, including 82 994 recoveries and 3 711 deaths.

Covid-19 has continued to cause havoc in different communities including Bulawayo where most residents still believe the virus is deadly to those over 50 years old.

From the onset, the global pandemic was said to affect the elderly and those with underlying conditions like hypertension, asthma and diabetes diseases which become prevalent as people age.

For a while, young people relaxed and overrated their lessened susceptibility to Covid-19 which claimed a one-year-old baby last month at Mpilo Central Hospital.

The hospital also noted that the number of younger people seeking hospitalisation after contracting the disease is on the increase in Bulawayo.

Mpilo Central Hospital has admitted two toddlers in the past week as it is suspected that the highly infectious Delta variant is spreading fast even among young people.

The Beta strain that was first detected in neighbouring South Africa accounts for 16 percent of the cases followed by the Alpha variant detected in the United Kingdom which accounts for 2,5 percent.

Illegal cross-border activities, failing to mask-up properly, crowding and visiting drinking spots are among activities that fuel mutations of the virus and bring new variants into the country.

Renowned health expert Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said the current wave had already sent shock waves among the youths.

He said unlike in the first and second wave where those aged 60 to 80 were likely to die, these days even teenagers were succumbing to Covid-19.

“We are having teenagers dying and those in their early 20s and now all age groups are affected. This variant is bad news and honestly our Government and members of the public should not allow it to continue spreading,” he said.

“This thing mutates and we keep defying lockdown conditions, it will worsen until we have a stronger variant. Our cases are still high and we are not out of the woods yet as people think they are free to be complacent as they have been vaccinated. Even fully vaccinated people are also being affected as we speak hence the need for us all to rethink our behaviours.”

All Bulawayo City Council’s 19 clinics and central hospitals Mpilo, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and Ingutsheni Central Hospital have been designated as vaccination centres.

The city is targeting to vaccinate at least 400 000 people to achieve herd immunity and more than 100 000 have received their first dose.

Dr Edwin Sibanda the city’s director for health services reminded residents that Covid-19 methods of transmission and prevention remain the same despite differences in variants.

“We will continue reminding residents to mask up, sanitize and practice social distancing to avoid transmission,” he said.-@thamamoe