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Conrad Mupesa 

Mashonaland West Bureau

Hurungwe is seeing a surge in Covid-19 cases, with 48 people testing positive in three days, including 14 health personnel from Karoi and Chidamoyo hospitals.

Of the 14 health personnel, 12 from Karoi Hospital and two from Chidamoyo Hospital were fully vaccinated, but in a sign that the vaccinations seem to be working to a high level are showing no symptoms, meaning they are infected but their immune systems have stopped the infection developing to the stage where symptoms appear.

Karoi, which has become the hotspot in the province, recorded 20 positive cases within the same period. 

Medical authorities suspect that the significant rise in business activity in the town as tobacco payments are being collected and spent, along with growing sloppiness in adhering to lockdown and safety rules, has a lot to do with the outbreak.

Reports indicate that 14 pregnant women, who were not vaccinated, tested positive for the virus at Chidamoyo Hospital, located some 100km south of Karoi town.

Mashonaland West acting medical director, Dr Gift Masoja, confirmed the cases, adding that contact tracing had begun.

“We are conducting contact tracing to the positive cases, but as for the past three days, the district has recorded 48 positive cases, including 14 health personnel,” said Dr Masoja. 

“As we try to curtail the spread of the virus, I want to urge the public to continue adhering to the Covid-19 stipulated guidelines. 

“The level of complacency, especially in Karoi and most rural areas is very high.” 

Dr Masoja agreed there was a possibility that the cases might rise due to the high activity in the town being occasioned by tobacco farmers who are selling their crop.

Last Friday, three Karoi Town Council officials tested positive to the virus, forcing the local council to close its main offices to allow for deep disinfection. 

Two relatives of a Karoi Town Council worker also tested positive after contact tracing. 

Dr Masoja said there had been an improvement in the administering of vaccines in the province, with Hurungwe district being one of the top beneficiaries.

The rise in cases in Hurungwe comes in the wake of a jump in positive cases in Kwekwe.

On Tuesday, Government said the variant first detected in India, had been detected in some of the new cases in Kwekwe, which has been under a localised lockdown for two weeks.

Cabinet extended the localised lockdown by another two weeks to contain the virus.