BREAKING: Government imposes 2 week lockdown in Kwekwe

By Romio Takundwa

Government has imposed a strict two week lockdown in Kwekwe after the Indian Covid-19 variant was detected in the city.

Health minister and Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga had earlier advised that the deadly Indian Covid-19 variant had been detected when tests were carried out earlier this week.

The genomic sequencing tests were carried out following the death of businessman, Robson Kadenhe from Covid-19 complications.

He had made contact with his granddaughter who returned from India on the 29th of April.

A notice by the Health Ministry advised that activities in Kwekwe which has a population of of more than 100 000 people will be restricted for two weeks starting Friday.

Read below PRESS RELEASE BY MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE 21 May 2021

Following localized cases of Covid 19 that occurred in Kwekwe during the period 09/05/2021 to 21/05/2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care would like to advise the nation that;

1. The Genomic sequencing done on the viral strain in Kwekwe, detected the presence of B.1.617.2 strain. This is a sub-species of the strain that was first identified in India.
2. The last case was on 14 May 2021.
3. The Ministry immediately put up measures to control the spread of the disease in Kwekwe. These included:-
a) Case investigation and contact tracing
b) Health education
c) Disinfection of supermarkets, OK Mart, Amaveni Dumpsite, Pump Station, Kadenhe Home, Old Gokwe Road, Amaveni, Junk Yard pavement, National Test Seed pavements
d) Quarantine of positive cases and close contacts
e) Risk communication and community engagement
f) Community awareness and campaigns were intensified
g) Screening of school children that were contacts


Further measures being taken are:
i) Health Education continued.
ii) LOCAL LOCKDOWN OF KWEKWE DISTRICT FOR 2 WEEKS EFFECTIVE 21 MAY 2021. This entails
– Curfew running from 7pm to 6 am.
– No visitors to all boarding schools and all day schools to observe strict Covid 19 school protocols.
– Opening of business hours run from 8 am to 5 pm.
– All bars, drinking places beerhalls and bottle stores to be closed.
– All gatherings (weddings, church services and all other public and private groupings) are banned.
– All FUNERALS must be supervised by health personnel and should not gather more than 30 people.
– Travellers through Kwekwe are strongly being advised to spend as little time as possible in Kwekwe during the next two weeks.