Zimbabwe Deputy Minister Mocks British Citizens Over Coronavirus

A Zimbabwean Junior Minister has mocked British citizens leaving Harare for the United Kingdom, saying that they risk contracting the deadly Coronavirus at Heathrow and in their homes back in London.

Deputy Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Energy Mutodi said for the first time in history, Africa has become safer than Europe “where life expectancy has dropped catastrophically overnight” due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mutodi wrote on Twitter:

British citizens leaving Zimbabwe risk contracting the deadly CoronaVirus at Heathrow and in their homes back in London. For the first time in history, Africa is a safe home compared to Europe where life expectancy has dropped catastrophically overnight.

Mutodi’s remarks come after the UK Embassy in Harare has strongly advised its citizens to leave Zimbabwe after the coronavirus has claimed three lives, according to authorities.

Zimbabwe has, however, tested less than 500 people since the first confirmed case several weeks ago, raising questions of health authorities’ ability to deal with a full-blown epidemic.