by Gretinah Machingura
HARARE, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced a raft of new and enhanced measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic following the discovery of a new variant in neighboring South Africa.
In a televised address to the nation, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe now faces a grim risk of a fourth wave of the pandemic after the Omicron variant was reported in some of Zimbabwe's neighbors.
"We face a new, added risk, which compounds the burden we already face and shoulder from known variants we have been grappling since the outbreak of the pandemic," Mnangagwa said.
He said with immediate effect, all returning residents and visitors will undergo PCR testing and quarantine at their own costs, curfew hours have been increased to run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., no alcohol will be consumed at bottle stores while night clubs and bars will admit vaccinated clients only.
COVID-19 related funerals will be supervised by health authorities while restaurants now close at 7 p.m.
Mnangagwa also urged the unvaccinated population to get vaccinated.
"Let me reiterate that the government requires individuals and communities to continue adhering to all the recommended prevention measures, including social distancing, wearing face masks properly, avoiding closed spaces, washing hands with soap and under running water, sanitizing and of course getting fully vaccinated," Mnangagwa said.
Also on Tuesday, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the new COVID-19 variant may already be circulating in Zimbabwe and the government will strengthen prevention and control measures to stem a fourth wave of the pandemic.
Addressing a post-cabinet media briefing, Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe's national committee on COVID-19 had already designated Omicron a variant of concern in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
She said the Cabinet had resolved that Zimbabwe immediately adopts and implements the recently announced WHO guidance and advice on responding to the new variant, including enhancing surveillance and genomic sequencing efforts to better understand the variant that may already be circulating in the country.
Following the discovery of the new variant in South Africa, Zimbabwe is among several southern African countries that have already been hit with travel bans by several Western countries.
To date, Zimbabwe has recorded 134,625 cases, with 4,707 deaths, according to the country's health ministry.
A total of 3,794,549 people in the country have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 2,816,543 their second dose, as authorities aim to inoculate 60 percent of the population by year-end. Enditem