News / National
No Covid-19 variants in Zimbabwe – govt says
17 hrs ago | Views
The Zimbabwean government has dismissed claims that any new COVID-19 variants are currently circulating in the country, despite rising concern globally over fresh outbreaks linked to emerging strains.
Responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Timios Kwidini, said that while new COVID-19 variants have been detected in other parts of the world, none have so far been confirmed in Zimbabwe.
He made the remarks during a Question and Answer session after Mashonaland West proportional representation MP Mutsa Murombedzi inquired about the country's preparedness amid global reports of a potentially deadly new variant.
"The whole world is preparing for another threatening COVID variant. What has the government put in place to curb the spread of this virus?" Murombedzi asked.
In response, Kwidini said the government was monitoring the situation closely and had not recorded any cases of the new variants so far.
"We are aware that COVID comes with different variants, but at the moment, the variants that are being found in other countries have not yet been found in Zimbabwe," Kwidini said.
He acknowledged that the country is currently dealing with a viral outbreak, but assured lawmakers that it had been classified by health authorities as a common flu virus, not a coronavirus resurgence.
"The government is actively working to prevent the spread of the virus and has acquired additional test kits to enhance detection capabilities," he added, citing lessons learned during previous outbreaks such as the Omicron wave.
Kwidini also revealed that the Ministry of Health is expecting to receive new medication that can be used in the event of a COVID-19 resurgence.
The remarks come amid heightened international alert following the emergence of new and potentially more infectious variants of the virus in parts of Asia and Europe. Several countries have begun tightening health protocols again, with renewed emphasis on surveillance, testing, and treatment preparedness.
Zimbabwe, which saw multiple waves of COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022, has in recent months reported low transmission rates and a return to near-normalcy across public sectors.
Authorities, however, continue to urge citizens to remain vigilant, maintain hygiene standards, and seek medical attention when symptoms of viral infection appear.
Responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Timios Kwidini, said that while new COVID-19 variants have been detected in other parts of the world, none have so far been confirmed in Zimbabwe.
He made the remarks during a Question and Answer session after Mashonaland West proportional representation MP Mutsa Murombedzi inquired about the country's preparedness amid global reports of a potentially deadly new variant.
"The whole world is preparing for another threatening COVID variant. What has the government put in place to curb the spread of this virus?" Murombedzi asked.
In response, Kwidini said the government was monitoring the situation closely and had not recorded any cases of the new variants so far.
"We are aware that COVID comes with different variants, but at the moment, the variants that are being found in other countries have not yet been found in Zimbabwe," Kwidini said.
"The government is actively working to prevent the spread of the virus and has acquired additional test kits to enhance detection capabilities," he added, citing lessons learned during previous outbreaks such as the Omicron wave.
Kwidini also revealed that the Ministry of Health is expecting to receive new medication that can be used in the event of a COVID-19 resurgence.
The remarks come amid heightened international alert following the emergence of new and potentially more infectious variants of the virus in parts of Asia and Europe. Several countries have begun tightening health protocols again, with renewed emphasis on surveillance, testing, and treatment preparedness.
Zimbabwe, which saw multiple waves of COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022, has in recent months reported low transmission rates and a return to near-normalcy across public sectors.
Authorities, however, continue to urge citizens to remain vigilant, maintain hygiene standards, and seek medical attention when symptoms of viral infection appear.
Source - NewZimbabwe
