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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau

Zvishavane residents are living in fear after 25 healthcare workers from Zvishavane District Hospital and three employees from the district registrar’s office tested positive to Covid-19 on Monday.

The residents, who spoke to The Herald yesterday, said the town had become a new hotspot and called for the tightening of lockdown measures. “We are no longer safe here and some of us are now living in fear of this pandemic. Imagine, 28 cases in one day and these have a lot of contacts, so we don’t even know the extent of infections in the town, we are a small town and everyone is now in danger,” said Mrs Regina Matuke.

She said what was more worrying was that residents of Zvishavane continued to disregard precautionary measures such as social distancing and wearing of masks.

“People seem unconcerned and they continue to swarm the streets despite the town being a hotspot, it is just scary,” said Mrs Matuke. Another resident, Mr Lymon Gumede, said there was need for Government to tighten lockdown measures in Zvishavane.

“The challenge we face here is that people walk from residential suburbs into the town centre, no police road blocks, and these people seem not to care that this leaves us highly exposed to infections.

“There is need for the security forces to enforce lockdown measures in Zvishavane if we are to prevent new infections.”

Mr Tanaka Chihora said it was suprising that people were treating business as usual in Zvishavane, despite a spike in the number of infections. “Zvishavane is no longer safe,” he said. “We had 28 cases confirmed and the tracing of contacts could result in the number increasing. Surprisingly people continue to walk in crowded areas so we are no longer safe here.”

Zvishavane Town Council secretary, Mr Tinoda Mukutu, expressed concern over the continued high human traffic, saying the local authority was still in shock following the announcement of the latest figures.

“The figures are scary, but we hope the district’s Covid-19 taskforce is doing everything possible to try and prevent further infections,” he said. “We also urge residents to avoid unnecessary movements.”

Zvishavane District Development Co-ordinator, who is also the district’s Covid-19 taskforce chairperson, Mr Darlington Chokera, said they have started a massive disinfection exercise at the hospital. He said the 25 health care workers and officials from the registrar’s office were in isolation. “We have also started tracing their contacts and conducting campaigns urging residents to avoid unnecessary movements,” said Mr Chokera.