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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
MIDLANDS Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima has tested Covid-19 positive and is now in self-isolation at home.

Minister Mavima, who tested positive last week, is asymptomatic and recovering.

A number of Government officials have tested positive for Covid-19 and recovered.

These include Ministry of Finance and Economic Development permanent secretary Mr George Guvamatanga, Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Lovemore Matuke and Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos.

As of Sunday, Zimbabwe had recorded 8 374 cases, 7 924 recoveries and 243 deaths according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

The Midlands province had a total of 686 Covid-19 cases, 657 recoveries, 20 active cases and nine deaths as of yesterday.

In an interview from his home, Minister Mavima said he doesn’t have any serious complications and is following the World Health Organisation and Ministry of Health and Child Care guidelines meant to curb the spread of the virus.

“I am very well and recovering speedily, no serious or worrying symptoms at all. I’m resting at home and in isolation as recommended by WHO and Ministry of Health and Child Care. I don’t have any serious complications, and I’m in good spirits. I’m on my way to recovery and I’m taking some medication,” he said.

Minister Mavima said he is strictly adhering to health guidelines to avoid spreading the virus hence he is in self isolation.

“I’m in good care of our local doctors who have been so good and so professional,” he said.

Minister Mavima said contact tracing had been done and those who had come into contact with him had been tested.

He said those tested will likely get their Covid -19 results today.

“Contact tracing has been done and all those who have been close to me from office and home have been tested and their results are expected tomorrow (today). The system is working perfectly well,” he said.

Minister Mavima commended the Covid-19 Rapid Response team and frontline workers who have assisted him and other people infected by the virus.

“The health system we have is very impressive from the Covid-19 Rapid Response team to other frontline workers who have been very helpful in managing the situation,” he said.

He encouraged people to follow the Covid-19 health guidelines saying the virus was not yet gone.

Minister Mavima said people must continue taking measures to avoid infection or spreading the virus because the pandemic is still there.

“I would like to encourage people to observe the Covid-19 health protocols that are there. That is critical because the virus is still here, it’s still with us and its mostly local transmissions. This virus is real, it can hit anyone, it has hit me as a minister. There is no one who is exempt and there shouldn’t be any stigma to it. There is therefore need to follow the health protocols such as washing of hands, putting on masks, and maintaining social distancing,” he said.

Two weeks ago, while addressing the Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting in Gweru, Minister Mavima said he was pained to see people not wearing masks properly and others not maintaining the one-metre social distancing.

“You find people are now very relaxed, the mask will be under the chin or below the nose or below the mouth. That is wrong. People no longer exercise social distancing and washing of hands as though we are out of the woods. We are not and we must exercise extreme caution out there,” he said.