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Chronicle Reporter
ZIMBABWE on Sunday recorded 774 new Covid-19 cases, the highest number of infections since the first was reported in the country in March last year.

The country has now recorded 15 265 cases and 380 deaths.

11 574 people have recovered from Covid-19 and the country’s active cases stand at 3 311.

Since the start of the new year, Zimbabwe has recorded 1 398 new cases and 17 deaths.

The spike in Covid-19 cases has forced Government to impose a tightened lockdown to curtail the spread of the virus.
The majority of the new cases, 571 of them were recorded in Harare.

Three deaths were recorded in the country one each in Bulawayo, Manicaland and Mashonaland.

The new Covid-19 cases have seen the country’s positivity rate increasing to 23 percent which is above the World Health Organisation’s five percent recommended infection rate.

Harare leads in Covid-19 cases with 4 631 and 164 deaths followed by Bulawayo with 3 561 confirmed cases and 98 deaths.

On Sunday, Acting President Kembo Mohadi said going outdoors should be viewed as a life-or-death decision due to the sharp increase of Covid-19 cases.

His sentiments followed the announcement of stricter Covid-19 regulations by Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care on Saturday.

Gatherings such as weddings and church services have been banned for 30 days while bars, bottle stores, gyms and restaurants have been ordered to shut down.

Formal and non-formal businesses will be suspended from today except for those providing essential services such as hospitals, pharmacies and supermarkets which will open at 8am and close at 3pm. Only those workers providing essential services will be allowed to report for work during the next 30 days.

Speaking during a Press conference in Harare, Acting President Mohadi said: “Make every decision to leave your house a matter of life or death. Zimbabweans have to choose between enjoyment and death.”

The Acting President said he was concerned about complacency that has crept in as evidenced by people’s behaviour.

“Regrettably, it is worrisome that our people and communities in general do not take the wearing of masks seriously. We therefore urge all leaders to take an active role in enforcing the proper wearing of masks. The virus needs to be fought by us all. In the past lockdowns, we achieved a lot in controlling the spread of the virus through cohesion and unity of purpose. Nevertheless, as leadership we observed the general laxity and carelessness of our people to adhere to the set protocols,” said the Acting President.