Zim records highest daily death toll
Tatenda Mkandawire
Yesterday was the deadliest since Covid-19 emerged in the country. The Ministry of Health and Child Care registered a sharp spike in fatalities with 107 people pronounced dead and 1 767 more infections declared, causing the total number of people who have contracted the virus to surplus the 100 000 mark.
Lethargic vaccination persisted with 30 657 people taking the jab. 12 707 PCR tests were done yesterday and 1 767 new cases were recorded. The positivity rate was 13.9%.
So far, this month of July has recorded more infections in the entire period of the pandemic in Zimbabwe and the development suggests that the low temperatures, among other factors, have exacerbated and propped the viral spread.
Matabeleland South registered the lowest positive cases (69) and 2 deaths while Bulawayo and Matabeleland North recorded 120 and 135 new cases respectively. Bulawayo declared 7 deaths and Matabeleland North had 1. A total of 4047 covid tests were done in the three provinces.
The statistics show that the Matabeleland region was battling with 5 417 active cases as of yesterday. Bulawayo managed 120 recoveries from the virus. Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South had 201 and 39 recoveries respectively.
The most populous province, Harare topped the chart with an alarming 438 new cases and 54 deaths in a single day. The province has maintained its hotspot status alongside some parts of Bulawayo including Emakhandeni and Nkulumane.
Meanwhile, the Government has announced that Level 4 Lockdown measures remain in force as efforts by the Ministry of Health and Child Care to vaccinate as many people as possible are in progress. Well over a million Zimbabweans have been innoculated with the first dose of the vaccine while 698 594 have had the second dose.
