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Conrad Mupesa Mashonaland West Bureau

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday temporarily closed Karoi Magistrates’ Court for a fumigation exercise after some of its staff tested positive for Covid-19.

Services will remain suspended until Monday next week, with urgent matters being referred to the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court.

“The measure is a precaution taken to allow the decontamination of the premises, contact tracing and further tests after some members of staff at the station recently tested positive for Covid-19,” said JSC head of communications and corporate affairs, Ms Rumbidzai Takawira.

“We are working with officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and all stakeholders to ensure a safe reopening of the station.”

Ms Takawira said the decision was aimed at protecting staff, stakeholders, legal practitioners, and accused persons and litigants from the ravaging effects of the virus.

The disinfection of Government buildings is going on well across major towns to arrest the spread of the second wave of Covid-19.

Mashonaland West Public Works Department director, Engineer Trymore Mutizwa, said his department had taken the programme to all parts of the province.

The department rolled out the exercise last week where all critical government offices in Chinhoyi were disinfected.

“We have disinfected the provincial medical directorate’s offices where the health, lands and youths ministries are housed,” said Eng Mutizwa. “Other offices that were disinfected include National Aids Council and Zanu PF offices.”

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has since reduced its workforce at all its departments and ministries to at least 30 percent, while public gatherings were reduced to a maximum of 30 people.