Zim on high alert for new Covid-19 variant

Zimbabwe remains on high alert for Covid-19 following the confirmation of a new variant in neighbouring South Africa, which health authorities say spreads very fast.

Ministry of Health and Child Care Public Relations and Communications Manager, Donald Mujiri said they are continuing to encourage people to get vaccinated against the virus.

“The ministry has always monitored situations on the ground and continues to do so, we have not laxed on our response to Covid-19,” he said in response to questions on whether Zimbabwe had any specific approach to the new Covid-Omicron XBB variant which China is battling. The World Health Organisation says it is concerned about how quickly the XBB.1.5 sub-variant spreads, noting that it is the most transmissible sub-variant ever detected.

Currently, WHO does not have any data on the seriousness of XBB.1.5, but it says there is no indication that it makes people sicker than previous sub-variants.

In the week to January 8, 2023, Zimbabwe recorded 29 Covid-19 cases and no deaths – but not of the new variant.

In 2020 and 2021, Zimbabwe experienced four waves of Covid-19.

According to a 2022 study, after the first case of Covid-19 reported in March 2020, in October, more than 8 000 cases and 243 deaths were recorded. The peak of the second wave was between November 2020 and January 2021, while the third wave was in July 2021. The fourth wave was in December 2021.

Currently, the rates of new cases and deaths have eased but new cases are still being recorded.

The government launched a vaccination blitz in December 2022 aimed at boosting the uptake of Covid-19 doses, which had slowed down in the second half of 2022. - Zimfact