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Mashudu Netsianda,Senior Reporter
HEALTH experts have warned citizens against complacency in the wake of the relaxation of lockdown restrictions by President Mnangagwa necessitated by a sharp decline in Covid-19 cases in the past weeks.

The country did not record any Covid-19 related deaths on Saturday and Sunday.

On Monday, the country reported five more Covid-19 related deaths and 26 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 36 115. The seven-day rolling average for new cases fell to 36 from 42 on Sunday.

So far, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in Zimbabwe stands at 1 468 while the national recovery rate stands at 91,1 percent.

Health experts attributed the drop in Covid-19 cases to strict adherence to health measures and the lockdown.

National Covid-19 taskforce coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said the public health measures that include surveillance and testing contributed to the decline in Covid-19 cases and brought the virus under control.

“We didn’t record any deaths on Saturday and Sunday and this means that the pandemic is being brought under control. We also think that the communities have also come on board by adhering to all measures put in place,” she said.

“The lockdown, wearing of face masks, maintain social distancing as well as the public health measures that include surveillance and testing contributed to what we are seeing now and the pandemic seems to be coming under control.”

Dr Mahomva warned members of the public against relaxing as the country approaches the third wave, saying chances are high of witnessing the numbers going up.

“We sincerely hope that the public will not relax and go back to the complacency we saw at the end of the first wave because we will be in trouble. We are in the second wave and the first wave people were so complacent,” she said.

“We are now heading towards the end of the second wave and if we don’t seriously adhere to the health and social measures, we are likely to find ourselves in doldrums with cases spiraling out of control.”

Dr Mahomva said the ongoing vaccination programme, is another initiative that is going to contribute to putting Covid-19 pandemic to rest.

“People must go and get vaccinated. All these measures put together contribute to a decline in cases because there is no isolating one intervention and then we think vaccination, social distancing and other measures will be the major bullets. They have to work together,” she said.

Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer, Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said citizens have to be more vigilant as a third wave will be deadlier.

“Coronavirus comes in waves and we are coming off the second wave, but it does not mean the virus is gone. It is actually lying quietly in people who are carrying it around and that is when it gets an opportunity to change and mutate. Once people start moving it around, it erupts in the next wave,” he said.

Prof Ngwenya said while the decline in cases and deaths is good news, there is need for people to be extremely cautious.

“What may erupt after this can be very dangerous. We need to take extreme measures than before because each wave is deadlier than the last one. We are coming off a second wave and people have survived that one, but that doesn’t mean the virus has gone away and probably it will be changing its structure,” he said.

“We have to be more vigilant because the third wave will be deadly. Coronavirus will go away when we reach head immunity by vaccinating 60 percent of the population, and that there is no new variant.”

Prof Ngwenya said those who have been immunised are not vaccinated against the new variant.

City health director Dr Edwin Sibanda attributed the decrease in Covid-19 cases to strict lockdown regulations.
He, however, said despite the decline in cases, people should not relax.

“The coronavirus comes in waves and its always there in same quantities or numbers. Essentially, what has happened is that level four lockdown has worked,” he said.

“Despite the decline in cases, we should not relax. Going forward, the vaccination is going to assist, but so far, the number of vaccinated people is still small to make an impact.” — @mashnets