#COVID19 |

Zim Records Jump in COVID-19 Deaths And Hospitalizations

December 16, 2021December 16, 2021 Healthtimes

Zimbabwe last night recorded 14 new COVID-19 deaths, making it the highest death toll recorded since the Omicron variant was reported three weeks ago. Staff Reporter This also comes after the country has been recording highest numbers in new infections since the detection of the highly infectious Omicron variant this December. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care(MoHCC) daily situational of 15 December 2021 the country recorded 4367 local cases and 14 deaths. Meanwhile, a total of 18 253 received their first dose of vaccine bringing cumulative for…

WHO Explains Why Some Vaccinated People Still Get Severe COVID-19

December 15, 2021 Healthtimes

A situation whereby fully vaccinated people contract COVID-19 also known as “vaccine breakthrough cases,” is largely determined by one’s immunity response vaccines as people respond differently to vaccine immunity, a top World Health Organisation (WHO) official has said. By Patricia Mashiri The world over, though in smaller numbers, some fully vaccinated people have been developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalizations and at times deaths, a development which has left many perplexed. Speaking during an HIV and COVID-19 Science Café, Dr Gasasira said with all COVID-19 vaccines available not all people have…

Zim COVID-19 Infections Shoot Through The Roof…President Announces New Measures

December 15, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE President, Emerson Mnangagwa has introduced new measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the midst of a raging new COVID-19 wave which has seen new cases increasing fourfold over the past week. By Michael Gwarisa According to the ministry of health and child care (MoHCC), the number of new cases increased during the week under review, with 28 904 cases recorded compared to 5 055 cases the previous week. Announcing the new measures, President Mnangagwa confirmed that majority of the new cases were linked to the new Omicron variant.…

#JUSTIN: Zimbabwe And 10 Other African Countries Removed From UK Red List

December 14, 2021 Healthtimes

The United Kingdon government has said that all 11 countries will be removed from the UK’s travel red list from 4am on Wednesday. Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are on the list. The red list was reintroduced in late November as a precaution after the emergence of the Omicron variant. But Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it had spread so widely the rules no longer had much purpose. “Now that there is community transmission of Omicron in the UK and Omicron has…

Zimbabwe Told To Up Genomic Sequencing Game… As Omicron Outpaces Delta’s Infection Rate

December 14, 2021December 14, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

FOLLOWING the detection of the Omicron or B.1.1.529 variant by South African scientists three weeks ago, it has emerged that the new strain could be infecting more people within a short space of time compared to the Delta strain which at some point was touted as the fastest growing variant. By Michael Gwarisa The Omicron variant, a highly mutated strain whose impact is feared could evade vaccine induced immunity and probably cause more severe symptoms, has to date been reported in 63 countries across the globe and in all continents…

COVID-19 Halts Two Decades Of Global Healthcare Progress

December 13, 2021 Healthtimes

New evidence compiled by the World Health Organization and the World Bank shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage. The organizations also reveal that already before the pandemic more than half a billion people were pushed or further pushed into extreme poverty because they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets, and that the pandemic is likely to make the situation worse. Own Correspondent The findings are contained in two complementary reports, launched on Universal…

PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

December 13, 2021 Healthtimes

SOUTH Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving treatment for mild COVID-19 symptoms after testing positive for the viral infection today, Sunday, 12 December 2021. The President started feeling unwell after leaving the State Memorial Service in honour of former Deputy President FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier today. The President is in good spirits but is being monitored by the South African Military Health Service of the South African National Defence Force. The President, who is fully vaccinated, is in self-isolation in Cape Town and has delegated all responsibilities…

Honoring 2021 COVID-19 Information Champions

December 11, 2021December 12, 2021 Healthtimes

EVERY battle has its heroes and for Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 raging war, we owe everything to our dedicated health personal, government, community health players, media and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for joining hands in fighting this unwelcome visitor called COVID-19. In every battle, information plays a key role in equipping fighters with strategies and ways to either evade the enemy or take him on head-on. Misinformation and the propagation of wrong and false information however could lead soldiers and innocent civilians right into the hands of the enemy, hence the need…

Zimbabwe Moves To Make Vaccination Mandatory For Intercity Travellers

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE’S government is working on introducing measures that will make mandatory for all intra and intercity travellers to have valid vaccination proof in order to board buses. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists during a post cabinet Media Briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said they are working on deploying healthcare workers to administer vaccine dosses at Bus termini around the country in a move to increase the numbers of vaccinated people as well push the country towards attaining herd immunity in the midst of increased new…

Male circumcisions disrupted by COVID-19, fall short of the 2020 target

December 4, 2021 Healthtimes

In areas with high HIV prevalence and low rates of male circumcision, voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) can greatly contribute to HIV prevention. Despite this, there was a steep drop in the number of VMMCs performed in the 15 priority countries in 2020, due mainly to service disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: approximately 2.8 million procedures were performed in 2020, compared with 4.1 million in 2019. Several countries suspended their programmes when the pandemic took hold, including South Africa. Despite this, programmes in some countries proved resilient enough to recover…