Zimbabwe’s number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases reached forty yesterday, including five recoveries and four deaths.
The country, as of yesterday, had a total of 7 642 screening and diagnostic test for the virus.
On confirmed cases, Matabeleland has 1; Bulawayo, 12; Harare, 19; Mashonaland East, 5; and Mashonaland West, 3.
Three hundred fifty-five (355) tests were conducted as of yesterday with six positive cases from Harare.
The government has plans to conduct a phased approach to conduct tests for provinces in Zimbabwe as COVID-19 confirmed cases rise according to information revealed by the cabinet.
Phase one of the tests will focus on Harare and Bulawayo involving security personnel and their families; and also all medical staff and patients in central hospitals.
The phase will also involve the testing of returning residents from abroad in designated mandatory quarantine facilities; contacts of confirmed cases regardless of showing symptoms of the disease; and also the community around a cluster of cases.
Immigration officials at R.G. Mugabe, J.M. Nkomo, and Victoria Falls International Airports; at Beitbridge and Forbes Border Post and drivers at truck stops will also be tested in phase one.
Phase two will entail the expansion of sample collection and testing to all categories under Phase 1 across all provinces and districts.
Internationally, over 3 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, with more 2 hundred thousand lives lost to the pandemic.
Until there are no new positive cases for a month or 2