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Midlands Bureau

Zvishavane District has become a Covid-19 epicentre in the Midlands Province, with 151 confirmed cases, prompting the provincial taskforce to call for stiffer prevention measures.

Recently, 25 nurses at Zvishavane District Hospital tested positive to Covid-19, resulting in its temporary closure.

More cases have since emerged, leaving the district leading in terms of infections followed by Gweru District, which has 73 cases while Gokwe South is the third highest with 17 cases followed by Kwekwe (15), Mberengwa District (11), Gokwe North (4) and Chirumhanzu (2).

Statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care show that the Midlands Province has 276 cases.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima said there was need for people to take Covid-19 health guidelines seriously to avoid further infections.

“Now that we have cases in almost all of the districts in the province, this is a wake-up call on all of us if we are to curb the spread of this pandemic.

“We are all called to action, observing the social distancing and maintaining the recommended health guidelines,” he said.

About five nurses at Gweru Provincial Hospital are in quarantine after they got in contact with the late acting Midlands Provincial deputy registrar, Mr Andrew Mpambo, who succumbed to Covid-19 while admitted to the hospital.

Gweru Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Fabian Mashingaidze, said the medical staff were waiting for their Covid-19 test results.

“It was just a precautionary measure to take the tests for samples because all our nurses will be putting on PPE (personal protective equipment) when they get in contact with patients.

“The risk of one getting infected when putting on the PPE properly is low so the tests which were done are just a precautionary measure,” he said.

Mr Mpambo’s death last Saturday brings to five the number of people who have succumbed to the pandemic in the province.