This follows a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country
since the onset of the third wave three weeks ago.
Prior to the pronouncement of the lockdown, many areas,
especially in small cities declared hotspots across the country, had already
been placed under localised lockdowns as a measure to control the virus.
In a statement yesterday, Mnangagwa reduced business
operating working hours, with industry ordered to decongest workplaces to 40%
and all companies directed to observe the World Health Organisation COVID-19
guidelines.
“Following a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, and subsequent
to the localised lockdown measures introduced in places such as Kwekwe, Kariba
and Chinhoyi, we are now stepping up our efforts by introducing the following
additional enhanced Level 4 measures,” Mnangagwa said.
“Level 4 enhanced lockdown measures which take immediate
effect will run for the duration of two weeks, and will be reviewed
thereafter.”
On Monday, Zimbabwe recorded 842 new cases and 13 deaths,
with an average of 727 cases per day for the past week.
As of June 28, Zimbabwe had recorded 47 284 confirmed
cases, including 37 949 recoveries and 1 749 deaths. By yesterday afternoon, a
total of 764 248 people had been vaccinated against COVID-19.
National recovery rate dropped to 80% from 94% recorded at
the beginning of this month. As of June 27, Zimbabwe had 353 hospitalised
cases.
Mnangagwa, however, said all commercial transport would
remain operational to allow the economy to continue running with all the people
obliged to strictly adhere to COVID-19 protocols.
He also said travellers coming from countries with Alpha
and Delta COVID-19 variants would be quarantined and tested at their own
expense.
The Delta variant has caused a lot of human carnage
suffering in India, where close to 5 000 deaths have been recorded in a day in
one of Asia’s most populous countries.
The variant spread to other countries last week, and United
States President Joe Biden expressed fear that the variant would cause untold
deaths in the world’s most powerful nation.
“Those deported back to Zimbabwe will be subject to
self-quarantine, or will be quarantined in identified places. Travellers with
fake COVID-19 documents will attract custodial sentences,” Mnangagwa said.
He said the COVID-19 vaccination blitz would be rolled out
in the border towns and cities, tobacco auction floors, Grain Marketing Board
depots, cotton marketing depots, major construction sites, people’s markets
such as Renkini in Bulawayo and Mbare in Harare and all hotspots.
“Ministers and parliamentarians will be dispatched to their
constituencies to disseminate information, especially on the vaccination
programme,” the President said.
“As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, I call upon
the whole nation to continue observing the WHO protocols, as well as to embrace
the free vaccination programme that is availed by the government, to protect
all our people.”
The new development comes after neighbouring South Africa,
which was on Level 2, moved back to Level 4 lockdown on Monday as the country
struggles against the third wave of COVID-19 infections. Newsday
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