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The Ministry would like to report that today, the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested 18 samples. All of them tested negative for COVID-19.
Therefore, to date, Zimbabwe has eleven confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The Ministry however would like to report that the ninth patient deceased today under admission in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Wilkins Hospital. He was a 50year-old male resident of Harare, who had travelled to the United Kingdom and returned home on the 21st of March 2020. He started exhibiting mild symptoms and alerted the local COVID-I9 Rapid Response Team on the 1st of April 2020, which went to assess him at home and collected samples for testing. He was diagnosed of COVID-19 with an underlying comorbidity on the 2nd of April 2020 and initially, was being managed at home. His condition however deteriorated and the local medical team immediately went to stabilise him.
On the 7th of April 2020, he was admitted for critical care and management in ICU at Wilkins Hospital under the care of a Specialist Physician. Today, the 8th of April 2020, his condition continued to deteriorate despite management in ICU until he deceased this evening.
The family has been informed and we are currently working with the family to ensure safe burial of his remains in line with regulations from our Public Health Act.
Once again, we call upon everyone to remain calm during this difficult moment. The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to reiterate our commitment to delivering on our mandate to promote health and quality of life of the people of Zimbabwe.
Further, the Ministry would like to remind the nation that, the most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to practise good personal hygiene and exercise social distancing.
For assistance, please call the COVID-19 tollfree hotline number: 2019.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe.
