Zimbabwe Lockdown: Day 641– WCOZ Situation Report

641 days of the COVID-19 Lockdown, and as of 29th of December 2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases had increased to 209 655 after 2 107 new cases all local cases, were recorded. The highest case tally was recorded in Mashonaland East with 459 cases. We note that the Hospitalisation rate data as at 15:00hrs on 28 December 2021, was: 416 hospitalised cases: 72 New Admissions, 64 Asymptomatic cases, 304 mild-to-moderate cases, 45 severe cases and 3 cases in Intensive Care Unit. A total of 5 366 people received their 1st doses of vaccine. The cumulative number of the 1st dose vaccinated now stands at 4 112 241. A total of 6 586 recipients received their second dose bringing the cumulative number of 2nd dose recipients to 3 121 783. A total of 653 people received their 3rd dose of vaccine shots bringing the cumulative for 3rd doses to 4 596. Active cases went down to 30 772. The total number of recoveries went up to 173 916 increasing by 3 953 recoveries. The death toll went up to 4 967 after 27 deaths were recorded.

Critical Emerging Issue

Super Spreader Events During the 2022 Crossover

We continue to note the celebrative mood throughout the country, as the Nation and the world at large prepare to cross over into year 2022. As merry makers celebrate this important event, 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 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 adherence to the curfew
• Respect for the guidelines on numbers of persons gathered at events at a given time.
• Increased police enforcement of the present curfew, sanitization, wearing of masks and maintaining social distancing.

Outstanding Issue

Home-based Care and Increase in Community Deaths

We note with sadness and great concern that of the 32 deaths recorded, 12 of these were community deaths. We further note that of the 32 645 currently active COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe, only 303 cases are currently hospitalised. This therefore reveals that a greater burden of COVID-19 management is being carried by communities and at household level. We highlight the need to ensure that relevant and adequate support is provided to communities in order to alleviate various difficulties presented by home-based COVID-19 care and management.

We urge the following measures to be implemented by Government and stakeholders:

• Ensuring capacitation and resourcing of community isolation centres in order to cater for households that are incapable of practising self-isolation due to their restricted living and housing conditions.
• Provision of PPE to households taking care of COVID-19 patients.
• Stepping up on awareness campaigns on handling of COVID-19 deaths at community level in order to minimise risk of infection.

Source: Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe