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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THE Gwanda Civil Protection Unit (CPU) has tightened enforcement of regulations to contain cases of Covid-19 which are on the increase in the mining town.

The town has recorded 15 positive cases over the past week. Six of the people are admitted to Gwanda Provincial Hospital isolation centre while the other nine are in self isolation.

The Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic College has suspended face-to-face lectures indefinitely after six cases were reported at the institution.

Speaking during a CPU meeting held on Monday, Gwanda Disrict Environmental Health Officer, Mr Kgositsile Mtlokwa said there was a need for a monitoring team to be deployed within the town to enforce regulations.

“As a district we have recorded 15 positive cases over the past week and all these are local transmissions within Gwanda Urban. As the Emergency Preparedness Response Committee we recommend tightening of measures in order to contain the situation.

“Lack of compliance to Covid-19 regulations has been identified as one of the causes of this spike in cases. A monitoring committee comprising of officials from Ministry of Health, ZRP and Local Government should also be set up in order conduct inspections to ensure that people adhere to regulations. The community of Gwanda also needs to be reminded through a hailer of the importance of observing Covid-19 regulations,” he said.

Gwanda acting District Development Co-ordinator, Mr Thulani Moyo said it was alarming how people within the town were disregarding Covid-19 regulations. He said some people were moving around without masks, some shops were no longer sanitising people or exercising social distancing, transport operators were not enforcing regulations and some public offices such as the passport office and banks were not enforcing social distancing.

Mr Moyo called on various partners to come on board and assist the district with resources. He said they have informed the provincial office of their exercise.

“15 cases within seven days isn’t a joke and we should take this matter seriously. We are going to be reactivating all thematic committees that were already operational and we want to ensure that we fully enforce regulations that are in place in order to contain the situation.

“What we want to do as a district is to work flat out to enforce the regulations which have been set under the Level 1 stage of the lockdown that we are at now,” he said.

Officer-in-Charge of Gwanda Urban Inspector John Mabhungu said there was a need to engage the business community as some were breaking regulations. He said at food outlets and supermarkets some workers were serving people without wearing masks and bottle stores were operating throughout the night.

Gwanda Provincial Hospital acting Medical Superintendent, Dr Blessing Gwarimbo said the positive cases which have been recorded in the town were all symptomatic which meant that they were highly contagious and likely to spread the virus. — @DubeMatutu