The Zimbabwean Government has relaxed COVID-19 regulations on inbound human traffic, while people who test negative 48 hours before their return are allowed to self-quarantine at home.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said the new measures also allow those without certificates to go home if they test negative at quarantine centres.
The new measures became effective on Friday, September 4 2020.
Mutsvangwa disclosed this as she gave feedback on proceedings of Monday’s COVID-19 taskforce meeting.
The task force was informed that on Sept. 4, 2020, all returnees with 48-hour negative COVID-19 certificates are being released at ports of entry for self-quarantine as per the Cabinet’s directive.
“Returnees without certificates will proceed to a quarantine facility, where they will be tested and either discharged for self-quarantine or isolation, based on their status,” she said.
Mutsvangwa said the task force has received nominations for 13 candidates who would make up an Experts Advisory Committee.
This was in response to the cabinet meeting of Aug. 18, which took note of the change in transmission scenarios.
The cabinet directed the setting up of a mechanism that would strengthen management and response to the rising local transmissions.
It has been noted that while in the past, most of the positive cases were imported, there are now more local infections among clusters within communities.
As of Monday, Zimbabwe had recorded 7,298 cases, 210 deaths, and a national recovery rate of 75 per cent.