The government has discouraged unnecessary gatherings and have told the public to avoid gatherings if they do not have to. Government is trying to avoid a panicky reaction from the public and also they are trying gradually implement measures that reduce the risk of corona virus spreading in Zimbabwe.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has advised the public not to panic over Corona Virus in Zimbabwe. He assured the public that the Ministry is doing whatever is in its power to disseminate information and will not hide information to the public. His press conference was followed by a pres statement that was issued by The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.
The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services had posted:
“As we go into festivities knowing the huge gatherings that come with it, all gatherings such as church meetings, weddings, conferences and others are hereby being discouraged”
The Minister also talked about current Corona Virus investigations in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has not yet reported any confirmed cases of Covid-19. The Ministry has responded to 7 suspected cases which all tested negative. Yesterday 15 March 2020, the Ministry received a report of a suspected case in Bulawayo. This suspected case involves a female traveller who travelled from South Africa to Zimbabwe on Tuesday the 9th of March 2020. This traveller had sort medical attention for other reasons from a General Practitioner in South Africa the previous day before she had travelled to Zimbabwe. She later received a call from South Africa informing her that her doctor had been put on self-quarantine after one of the patients the doctor attended to had tested positive for Covid-19. This patient is now under self-quarantine together with those she stays with. Today the 16th of March 2020, we received a report that a tourist who came to Victoria Falls on the 7th of March 2020 and departed on the 10th of March 2020 back to the United Kingdom has been found positive for Covid-19 and is currently being treated in the UK.
Response by companies and other non-governmental organisations
Private companies and non governmental organisations are carrying out their own protective measures. Econet for example is currently embarking to a programme to limit the need for their employees to work from their offices and work stations. A large percentage of their staff are working from home.