By Michael Magoronga
A nurse based at Silobela District Hospital has succumbed to Covid-19 as the pandemic continues to ravage the mining town of Kwekwe.
Acting Midlands provincial medical director, Dr Reginald Mhene confirmed the development. “It is true we lost a nurse who was based at Silobela District Hospital yesterday.
“She was one of our hard-working nurses at Silobela District Hospital, especially in the fight against the pandemic,” said Dr Mhene.
He dismissed as false, social media reports that another nurse had succumbed to the virus at Kwekwe General Hospital, saying she died of natural causes.
Cases continue to increase in Kwekwe which has since been declared a hotspot. Two Kwekwe Poly lecturers died of the pandemic last week prompting the temporary suspension of lectures at the institution. Recently, the Kwekwe District Covid-19 Taskforce also recommended that two other colleges, Mlezu Agricultural College and Rio Tinto Agricultural College, be closed after authorities there raised a red flag.
Some financial institutions and other organisations have also temporarily closed after staffers there tested positive.
From May 10 when the town was placed on localised lockdown, the total number of cases have risen to 583 with 374 being active cases.
A total of 38 deaths have been recorded so far.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are seriously enforcing the lockdown with entry into the city and outside being barred. Officer commanding police in Kwekwe District, Chief Superintended Denford Maingire said they were having problems with compliance by residents and motorists.
“We are facing challenges to control vehicular flow despite the cases being on the increase every day. But we are doing our best to conscientise motorists against moving especially into Kwekwe which is a red zone,” said Chief Sup Maingire.
He said the level of compliance by residents was worrying. “I do not usually go to a roadblock but today I decided to go there personally and hep the police in trying to warn motorists from entering Kwekwe. This is a hotspot and cases are on the increase. We get updates on regular bases and the situation is bad,” he said. The Chronicle
