Zimbabwe Lockdown: Day 636– WCOZ Situation Report

636 days of the COVID-19 Lockdown, and as of 24th of December 2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases had increased to 202 736 after 1 392 new cases all local cases, were recorded. The highest case tally was recorded in Mash West with 255 cases. We note that the Hospitalisation rate data as at 15:00hrs on 23 December 2021, 300 hospitalised cases: 34 New Admissions, 28 Asymptomatic cases, 232 mild-to-moderate cases, 39 severe cases and 1 case in Intensive Care Unit. A total of 6 370 people received their 1st doses of vaccine. The cumulative number of the 1st dose vaccinated now stands at 4 095 409. A total of 6 278 recipients received their second dose bringing the cumulative number of 2nd dose recipients to 3 105 098. Active cases went down to 42 216. The total number of recoveries went up to 155 649 increasing by 4 340 recoveries. The recovery rate went up to 77%. The death toll went up to 4 871 after 16 deaths were recorded.

Critical Emerging Issue

Super Spreader Events During the Festive Season

We note the celebrative mood throughout the country, and we wish the Nation a Merry Christmas. As communities celebrate Christmas, we urge the highest level of personal responsibility and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. We urge an avoidance of super spreader events such as large scale and social and economic activities and gatherings.

We call for an amplification of the 2021 Festive Season COVID-19 Awareness Campaign to ensure that the nation collectively celebrates the festive holidays responsibly with a view to save lives.

We highlight the need to ensure;

• Control of infections at parties and weddings.
• Respect for the guidelines on numbers of persons at weddings, funerals and other events.
• Reduced travel were possible.
• Increased police enforcement of the present curfew, sanitization, wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing.

Outstanding Issues

Rise in Infections Due to Lack of Enforcement of COVID-19 Measures

We highlight the COVID-19 containment measures announced by the Government three weeks ago. The stricter measures, on paper were announced in direct response to the increase infections and hospitalisations that characterised the 4th wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. However, we are concerned to note that the measures were strictly paper, as they lack effective enforcement on the ground. We observe that nationwide, in communities there is nominal to non-existence of critical measures which ought to drive a break in the infection chain.

We call for Government to act by ensuring effective enforcement of COVID-19 protocols in rural, urban and peri urban communities, especially during the festive season.

• We urge support to the public transport operators to ensure that mobility does not compromise infection control during the festive season.
• We call for the restraint of political parties in undertaking large scale public gatherings which appear to be one of the main causes of outbreaks of infection.
• We continue to call for expanded vaccination centres to bring the vaccine where the people are at during the festive season.

Source: Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe