Zimbabwe criminalises spread of COVID-19

HARARE, Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, if one infects another with coronavirus, it is considered a criminal offense, President Emmerson Munangagwa has announced in the new anti-COVID-19 measures.

The southern African country said it had imposed a curfew from 6 pm to 6 am for all but essential services and a retreat to 8 am to 3 pm working hours for exempted businesses.

These new directives are tagged along with the criminalization of deliberate or reckless transmission of Covid-19.

“These measures are being taken for our collective safety. As Zimbabweans, we have to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic. We must minimize the loss of lives. I, as your President, will come back to you to announce the easing of these public health measures, once the situation has improved. Let all of us, for now, unreservedly comply with these measures,” he said.

Curfew and other changes were the results of the rapid increase in the number of total infections, especially those within Zimbabwean communities, seen recently with local cases now greater than those among returning residents.

Public gatherings for social, religious, or political purposes remain banned. Funeral gatherings remain curtailed, in line with public health requirements.

The President warned against desertion from places of quarantine by returnees and infected persons, resulting in the exposure of innocent lives to the virus saying will be considered a criminal act and invite a very robust response from law and public health-enforcement arms.

The stringent rules also consider that anyone who knowingly exposes, aids, abets, or infects innocent persons, whether by breaching conditions of isolation or by encouraging actions that undermine public health measures which Government has announced or undertaken, will be liable, and severely punished accordingly.

Meanwhile, food markets will remain open and operational and must observe set measures, rules, and requirements meant to uphold public health. Supplies to markets should be facilitated to reach the markets, including by security forces.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Chinese government delivered a donation of epidemic prevention materials to Zimbabwe to respond to the increasingly severe epidemic situation in the country.