Takudzwa Changadeya

The number of COVID-19 cases in Zimbabwe has risen to 36 after 852 PCR tests were conducted on Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has revealed.

In a statement, the MoHCC stated that a new case was reported yesterday in Harare.

The statement reads:

“The Ministry would like to report that today, 375 rapid screening tests and 768 PCR tests were done in the public sector. Additionally, 351 rapid screening tests and 84 PCR tests were done in the private sector giving a total of 726 rapid screening tests, and 852 PCR tests were done today. One of the PCR tests done in Harare today was positive for COVID-19.

“Case 35 reported yesterday is a 50-year old female resident of Harare, with no recent history of travel, or any known contact with a person with respiratory symptoms. She was admitted to a private hospital on the 27th of April 2020 with a history of vomiting, general body weakness, and shortness of breath on a background of comorbidities. Following the COVID-19 diagnosis, she has since been transferred to Wilkins Hospital for management under isolation.”

Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe now has thirty-six confirmed cases, including nine recoveries and four deaths.

Cumulatively, a total of 10 944 rapid tests and 9 593 PCR diagnostic tests have been done to date.